Isuzu, a Japanese automaker, plans to establish an autonomous driving test track for vehicle development.

In a significant stride towards autonomous driving, Isuzu Motors Limited announced plans to establish Japan's first dedicated autonomous driving test course for commercial vehicles. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 27 August 2025, at the Isuzu Hokkaido Proving Ground (IHPG) in Mukawa, Hokkaido.

The test course, spanning approximately 190,000 square metres, is envisioned to become a hub for open innovation. It will include simulated urban streets, highway entry and exit sections, and rural roads, designed to accommodate large vehicles such as articulated buses and heavy truck trailers.

The course is considered essential infrastructure for Isuzu's leadership in autonomous driving for commercial vehicles. It forms part of the company's mid-term business plan, which identifies autonomous driving as a key area for development.

Isuzu aims to support the creation of safety standards, certification processes, and operational guidelines through the test course. Collecting data from real-world driving is essential for refining autonomous systems, and the Hokkaido course is intended to provide the capability for repeated testing of critical situations without endangering other road users.

Collaboration with national and local governments, as well as research institutions, is planned for the test course. Isuzu also intends to open the test course to external organisations, including startups, suppliers, and infrastructure specialists. A new research and maintenance facility will be constructed alongside the test course to provide workspace for partners.

Isuzu has stated its intention to introduce Level 4 autonomous trucks and buses in the 2027 financial year. Full-scale operations of the test course are scheduled to begin in September 2027. The test course is not mentioned to be used for any new purposes beyond research and development or any new levels of autonomy beyond Level 4.

The test course is not intended to accommodate any new types of vehicles beyond those already used in logistics and passenger transport. Japan's logistics and passenger transport sectors face pressures from demographic change, including an ageing population and a shortage of drivers. Isuzu has positioned autonomous driving as one response to these challenges.

The test course is designed to replicate complex traffic scenarios more safely than on public roads, thanks to traffic infrastructure installations. It is hoped that the test course will contribute to the advancement of autonomous driving technology in Japan and beyond.

Isuzu, a Japanese automaker, plans to establish an autonomous driving test track for vehicle development.