English 
Japan has always been a hardware powerhouse. Monozukuri, they call it. Precision, quality, machines that last. Cars, trucks, robots, Japan makes them better than most. But now things are changing. Vehicles are no longer just machines. They are becoming nodes in a network. Software is taking center stage. Cars are learning, talking, and adapting while they move.
The shift is happening fast. Labor shortages are making it harder to run fleets the old way. At the same time, technology is ready. AI, connectivity, predictive tools, all of it is here. Companies can now manage trucks and deliveries through software. They can see problems before they happen. They can optimize routes and maintenance in real time.
Japanese fleets are moving beyond simple GPS tracking. They are becoming software-first ecosystems. Trucks are not just carrying goods. They are carrying data. They are solving logistics challenges before they become crises.
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Japan’s ‘2024 Problem’ and the Logistics Crisis
In Japan, starting from the 2024 truck drivers will not be permitted to work beyond 960 hours of overtime annually. The government imposed this cap to ensure the welfare of the employees. It makes sense for safety. But for logistics it is a shock. Trucks carry about 91.7 percent of all freight in Japan. That is huge. Cut the hours and the trucks cannot keep up. According to experts, a 14 percent reduction in the capacity of transport services can be expected immediately as a consequence of this. If the situation remains the same, the gap may reach 34 percent by the year 2030. That is not something that will happen far in the future. It is already here, and it is coming rapidly.
MLIT looked at driver activity in 2024. Drivers on the roads spent about 40 minutes less time driving per trip in comparison to last year. Driving time is falling. But waiting and loading time has not changed much. The total delivery process is slower. The system is stretched. There are not enough drivers. Hiring more is not easy. The workforce is older. Labor is scarce. Doing more by just adding people is impossible.
That is why fleet intelligence matters. Trucks can do more with smart software. Routes can change in real time. Maintenance can be predicted before something breaks. Deliveries can be scheduled efficiently. Every minute and every mile counts. Trucks become tools that think a little bit for the drivers. Companies cannot afford to wait. Those who move first will manage the crisis better.
The choice is clear. Fleet intelligence is not just a nice-to-have. It is survival. Japan has a problem. Software and data are the solution. How fast companies act will decide if they stay ahead or fall behind.
From Hardware to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs)
Cars are changing in Japan. They are not just metal and engines anymore. They are becoming software platforms. People call them Software-Defined Vehicles or SDVs. That means the car can get better over time. Updates are sent over the air. You do not need to go to the garage to get a new feature. The car learns while it is being used. It can adapt. It can improve.
Toyota is leading this shift. They built an operating system called Arene. It is made to manage fleets. It also supports autonomous driving. It can integrate new features remotely. Toyota is also testing fleets in Woven City. That is their experimental city for smart vehicles. Cars, roads, and cloud systems talk to each other there. It is not just an idea. It is real. Cars and systems exchange data continuously.
Honda is doing similar work. They have the Honda 0 Series. It focuses on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or ADAS. Level 3 automation helps the driver. It reduces fatigue. It also improves safety. It is like having a co-pilot in the truck or delivery vehicle. The car can handle steering and speed. The driver only intervenes when needed. That is useful for long trips or busy routes.
The technology behind this is also changing. Cars used to have many separate electronic control units or ECUs. Each one handled a small function. Brakes, engine, steering. Now SDVs use centralized zonal architecture. Fleet managers can control speed, battery usage, and routes from a single system. They can push updates. They can monitor performance. They can even predict maintenance before something breaks.
トヨタ and NTT announced a joint initiative in October 2024. They want to build a platform that connects cars, networks, and software. The goal is safer fleets. The goal is more efficient fleets. It shows that Japanese companies are thinking beyond hardware. They are building vehicles as software platforms.
SDVs are not far away. They are here. They are evolving every day. Fleets that adopt them early will have better safety. They will run more efficiently. They will be smarter.
Core Applications of Fleet Intelligence in Japan
Fleet intelligence is changing how vehicles work in Japan. It is not just about tracking trucks on a map anymore. It is about making them smarter. One big area is predictive maintenance. In the past, companies fixed things only after they broke. That wasted time and caused delays. Now AI can predict when a part might fail. Trucks can be serviced before something stops working. That is important because drivers are limited. Every delivery counts. Downtime can cost a lot.
Battery management is another place AI helps. Japan is adding more electric vehicles to fleets. Batteries are expensive and charging takes time. AI can predict the state of health of each battery. It can also schedule charging for off-peak hours to save energy costs. That way vehicles are ready when they are needed. Fleets do not sit idle waiting for charging. Everything runs smoother.
Routing is also different in Japan. Roads are narrow. Cities are crowded. Trucks cannot take the same routes they would in the US or Europe. Fleet intelligence can plan routes that fit the vehicle size. It can calculate turns and timing to avoid delays. Drivers spend less time stuck in traffic or trying to squeeze through tight streets.
ソフトバンク is working on this too. They developed a traffic-understanding multimodal AI. It has the capability of monitoring the roads and providing real-time assistance for vehicle navigation. It is a support for full and partial autonomy in driving. It makes it possible for lorries to steer clear of traffic and choose the best paths. It is similar to having a thinker in the fleet that is always a step ahead and making instant adjustments.
All of these applications together make fleets smarter. Trucks do more with less. Deliveries happen on time. Energy and time are saved. Drivers are less stressed. Companies can handle the 2024 problem better. Fleet intelligence is not just technology. It is the backbone of modern logistics in Japan.
The Cultural and Structural Challenges
Fleet intelligence is exciting. It can make trucks smarter. It can make deliveries faster. It can reduce driver stress. But it is not simple. There are real problems. Japan has a big talent gap. There are lots of mechanical engineers. But very few software engineers. Making software-first fleets work is hard when there are not enough people who can write code and manage systems.
Then there are old systems. Many logistics companies still use paper. They still stamp approvals with Hanko. Some have old IT systems that do not work with modern fleet software. You cannot just install smart software and expect it to run. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes patience.
サイバーセキュリティ is another big challenge. As fleets become software platforms, they can be hacked. Hackers could interfere with vehicles. They could mess with routes. They could steal data. Japan is implementing UN Regulation No. 155 to make fleets safer. Following these rules is not easy. Companies have to rethink how they secure their trucks and data from the ground up.
These challenges slow down adoption. They make software-first fleets hard to build. But companies that deal with the talent shortage, modernize old systems, and secure their software will be far ahead. It is not a smooth path. It is difficult. But it is necessary if Japan wants smarter, safer, and more efficient fleets.
The Road to 2030
Japan is looking ahead. The government has big plans. One idea is auto flow roads. These are special lanes on highways for automated cargo. Trucks could drive themselves in these lanes. They could carry goods more efficiently. Less human error. Less congestion. It is still in the works. But the idea shows how serious Japan is about smart logistics.
Collaboration is also coming. Competitors are starting to share データ. They want to fill trucks better. Right now, loading ratios are low. Around 40 percent on average. Empty space is wasted. Sharing data can help trucks run fuller. That saves money and reduces trips. It is better for the environment too.
The path to 2030 will be full of hurdles. Technology, rules and culture need to be developed further. Nevertheless, if Japan manages to do it, there will be quicker, more intelligent, and well-linked fleets. The future in transport will be dominated and shared by software.
エンドノート
Japan is facing a crisis. Truck drivers are scarce. Deliveries are under pressure. But the country is turning this problem into an opportunity. Fleet intelligence is no longer just tracking dots on a map. It is about managing software assets. Trucks, routes, and data all work together. Companies that act now will get ahead. Fleet operators need to audit their tech stack. They need to make sure their vehicles are SDV-ready. Those who wait will fall behind. The future belongs to fleets that think, adapt, and improve with software. Japan is showing how to do it.
日本語