RoboTruck
About
About RoboTruck
RoboTruck develops autonomous-driving systems for Japanese trunk-haul freight. Its work centres on full-size trucks and articulated semi-trailers operating between logistics hubs, where automated motorway driving can increase vehicle utilisation and separate highway movement from loading and unloading work.
The company develops perception, localisation and control for tunnels, backlighting, merging and lane changes, including proprietary algorithms for the steering dynamics of 16.5-metre articulated vehicles. A February 2026 public-road programme with Toyota Tsusho and major logistics operators covered thousands of kilometres on the Shin-Tomei route as RoboTruck prepares the technology and operating model for commercial service.
Funding
- 2026-07-31 - Series A first close - RoboTruck raises approximately JPY5.2B at Series A first close
RoboTruck secured approximately JPY5.2 billion in equity at the first close of its Series A, led by JIC Venture Growth Investments. - source: robotruck.jp
Investors
- Archetype Ventures - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
- Globis Capital Partners - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
- JIC Venture Growth Investments - Lead - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
- Mitsubishi UFJ Capital - Participant - Corporate / CVC - 1 funding event - strategic/corporate - first seen 2026-07-31
- Mizuho Leaguer Investment - Participant - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
- SMBC Venture Capital - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
- SPARX Asset Management - Participant - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-07-31
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-08 - Facility Opening - RoboTruck opens Keihanna base for Kanto–Kansai autonomous-truck testing
The base supports driving-data collection and analysis, complex traffic testing, truck dispatch and trailer-exchange trials. RoboTruck targets Level 4 service between Kanto and Kansai during fiscal 2028. The company completed a 260-kilometre hands-free motorway drive between Kanagawa and Aichi in May 2026.
Source - 2026-07-31 - Demonstration - RoboTruck completes supervised 260km autonomous highway run
The test took place on an unspecified day in May 2026 and was disclosed on 31 July. The truck handled motorway entry, lane keeping, overtaking, junction routing, merging and cut-in traffic across the approximately 260km route. A safety driver remained in the vehicle and could intervene if required; the result is a supervised testing milestone, not a driverless commercial deployment.
Source - 2026-07-31 - Funding - RoboTruck raises approximately JPY5.2B at Series A first close
SPARX Asset Management and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital joined as new investors. Globis Capital Partners, Archetype Ventures, Mizuho Leaguer Investment and SMBC Venture Capital participated as existing investors. RoboTruck said it was preparing a second close; that future financing is outside the disclosed first-close amount.
Source - 2026-04-10 - Demonstration - RoboTruck completes autonomous semi-trailer road demonstration with logistics consortium
The February 2026 demonstration covered approximately 4,400 km between logistics hubs in Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures. Autonomous driving ran between Shin-Shizuoka IC and Tomei Miyoshi IC. The trial validated real-world highway performance including tunnels, backlit conditions and merging.
Source - 2026-02-09 - Demonstration - RoboTruck starts public-road autonomous semi-trailer demo with ORIX Auto and Senko
The demonstration used a RoboTruck-developed autonomous semi-trailer on the Shin-Tomei highway. The route ran between Shin-Fuji Interchange and Hamamatsu Service Area Smart Interchange. A driver remained onboard with override capability during the test.
Source - 2025-10-20 - Contract Award - RoboTruck selected for MLIT autonomous-truck project with Toyota Tsusho
RoboTruck is responsible for autonomous truck technology development in the Toyota Tsusho-led consortium. The project targets demonstration driving between logistics hubs along the Shin-Tomei or Tomei Expressway. RoboTruck identifies its business as R&D of autonomous truck systems.
Source
Relations
Relationships
- Seino Transportation
Logistics Consortium Partner - Seino Transportation joined the Toyota Tsusho-led autonomous semi-trailer demonstration consortium with RoboTruck.
- ORIX Auto
Consortium Partner - ORIX Auto partnered with RoboTruck and Senko on a public-road autonomous semi-trailer demonstration.
- Senko
Logistics Operations Partner - Senko provided logistics relay hubs and operational context for RoboTruck autonomous semi-trailer testing.
- Toyota Tsusho
Consortium Lead - Toyota Tsusho led the MLIT autonomous truck consortium in which RoboTruck developed autonomous truck technology.
Commercial
- RoboTruck selected for MLIT autonomous-truck project with Toyota Tsusho
2025-10-20 · Order / contract · RoboTruck was selected for Japan MLIT’s FY2025 autonomous truck social-implementation project in a Toyota Tsusho-led consortium to develop semi-trailer autonomous truck technology.
Source