Isuzu to develop Level 4 autonomous trucks

MANILA: Isuzu Motors Limited is set to develop Level 4 autonomous trucks alongside Applied Intuition, Incorporated.

Per the Japanese carmaker, the two companies will accelerate the joint development of self-driving trucks based on a partnership strategy that spans up to five years, which will see Isuzu launch Level 4 autonomous driving businesses in Japan and North America by 2028.

“The partnership with Applied Intuition will exponentially advance autonomous driving technology development and provide a solid and reliable foundation as we enter the Level 4 autonomous driving business in FY2028,” Isuzu President and Representative Director Shinsuke Minami said.

Establishing autonomous driving solutions as a new business pillar is part of Isuzu’s new mid-term business plan: Isuzu Transformation — Growth to 2030 (IX). The Strategic Partnership Agreement between Isuzu and Applied Intuition will be a key driver towards achieving that goal.

“I believe that Applied Intuition’s advanced technologies will serve as a strong driving force in realizing our Isuzu Transformation (IX) goals. Isuzu is committed to developing new businesses with new technology, and to tackle the various challenges faced by customers and society as a whole,” he added.

Through the said partnership, Isuzu will gain advanced autonomous driving technology and develop Level 4 autonomous trucks for highway transportation in Japan. Specifically, in 2026, verification tests under the operational design domain specified by Isuzu will be carried out to lay the groundwork for launching Level 4 autonomous driving businesses.

“Applied Intuition is in the business of enabling our OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers to deploy next-generation technology in their vehicles. In this case, we’re advancing commercial trucking autonomy with Isuzu,” Applied Intuition Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Qasar Younis stated.

“What’s different about Applied Intuition versus other companies in our ecosystem is we don’t succeed if our customers don't succeed. Because of that, we look forward to helping one of the largest truck OEMs in the world simultaneously address needs in commercial trucking and develop in-house capabilities,” he added.

To recall, Isuzu has also made an investment in Gatik AI, Incorporated to develop an autonomous driving logistics business in North America.

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