Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors has announced plans to build a new test course dedicated to autonomous vehicles, with the aim of accelerating the adoption of Level 4 autonomous technologies in trucks and buses.

Isuzu claims that the new facility will be the first dedicated autonomous driving test course to be established by a commercial vehicle manufacturer in Japan. It will be built on a 190,000 sq m plot within the proving grounds of its Isuzu Hokkaido Proving Ground Company (IHPG) subsidiary, and will be designed to accommodate large commercial vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks with trailers and articulated buses.

The new facility will feature multiple testing areas, including simulated urban streets, highway merging and exiting sections, and rural roads. Each area will be equipped with different types of road and traffic infrastructure, making it possible to safely replicate complex driving scenarios that are difficult to conduct on public roads, enabling the verification and validation of autonomous driving technologies. The facility is expected to be partially operational by the summer of 2026 and fully operational by September 2027.

Isuzu confirmed that the new autonomous vehicle proving ground will also be made available to companies and organizations outside the Isuzu Group, including autonomous driving startups, automotive parts suppliers, and the transport infrastructure sector, “thereby helping to advance the deployment of autonomous driving technologies throughout society.”