UD Trucks announced the launch of “Fujin & Raijin. Vision 2030” - an Innovation Roadmap which aims to deliver a variety of solutions for smart logistics, including fully-electric and autonomous trucks leading up to 2030.
The
roadmap focuses on the key areas of automation and electromobility to address
the challenges of a rapidly changing world. True to UD Trucks’ vision to
provide the trucks the world needs today, the innovation roadmap takes a step-by-step
approach together with customers to offer commercialised solutions for select
automation and electromobility applications from 2020, with a view toward
full-fledged commercialisation by 2030.
By
2030, demand for parcel delivery is expected to grow 50% compared to 2014. To
meet this demand, the logistics industry faces significant challenges, including
a responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions, the growing scale of online commerce,
and driver shortages. UD Trucks believes that transformative innovations in
automation and electromobility are key to overcoming these challenges and
providing customers with the trucks that fit their needs.
“When
delivering on our promise to provide the trucks and services the world needs
today, we have always done things a bit differently from others in our industry.
As we now look forward, we are convinced that the world needs smart logistics,”
said UD Trucks Chairman Joachim Rosenberg during the roadmap’s announcement at
the Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo.
UD
Trucks takes inspiration for their innovation roadmap from the gods of wind and
thunder, as depicted in the famous gold-embossed Japanese folding screen, “Fujin
and Raijin.” UD Trucks’ progress in automation is inspired by Fujin, the god of
wind, who symbolises the power of movement, while its work in electromobility
is inspired by Raijin, the god of thunder, who symbolizes the power of energy.
With
“Fujin & Raijin. Vision 2030.” UD Trucks is committed to developing smarter
logistics solutions in these key areas, enabled by advances in connectivity and
digitalization.
Automation
Automation
will reshape the logistics industry, creating real-life benefits for both
customers and society in terms of productivity, safety, energy and fuel efficiency.
UD Trucks is now focusing on solutions for safe, low-speed automation in
confined areas, including in-plant and harbour logistics. It is also exploring on-road
Highway Auto Pilot and CACC (Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control) platooning
technologies in the near term, and more highly-automated on-road vehicles in
the long term.
Electromobility
UD
Trucks is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products. UD Trucks
is now developing technologies necessary to create silent, zero-emission vehicles
that maximise energy efficiency, payload capacity and mileage. As battery
systems continue to evolve, UD Trucks is testing a variety of solutions, including
battery EV, parallel HEV and Series HEV.
Connectivity and
Digitalisation
Connectivity
through digitalisation is the enabler of both automation and electromobility.
In Japan, UD Trucks has around 45 000 vehicles connected through the UD
Information Service, which uses data collected from each vehicle to help
improve uptime. By analysing digital data collected from customer driving
behaviour, UD Trucks also gains insight on how to design even safer and more
dependable trucks.
“Since
the launch of the New Quon in 2017, UD Trucks has moved steadily forward on its
mission to drive the future of smart logistics. This innovation roadmap
represents a major leap forward for the company, the logistics industry, and
our society,” said Douglas Nakano, Senior Vice President of UD Trucks
Technology. “We are committed to ensuring that our customers around the world
feel the full benefits of the solutions and products we are developing, which
will ultimately make life better for everyone in our society.”
Over the course of 2018, UD Trucks will conduct demonstrations of autonomous driving and electric drive prototypes, targeting field tests and customer trials ahead of Tokyo Motor Show 2019. It aims to have vehicles in actual daily operation by the year 2020. All activities will be conducted with a view toward full-fledged commercialisation of fully-electric and autonomous trucks by 2030. Step-by-step together with customers, UD Trucks delivers solutions for Smart Logistics.
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