ORIX invests in autonomous trucking firm RoboTruck

Financial services and asset management firm Orix has invested an undisclosed amount in autonomous trucking startup RoboTruck.

The Japan-based companies have formed an alliance to advance self-driving technology in the logistics sector, according to a July 14 Orix release. The partnership comes amid a worsening “logistics problem” in Japan, driven by stricter regulations on truck driver overtime and a growing shortage of drivers.

ORIX Auto, the company’s vehicle services subsidiary, will work with RoboTruck to develop autonomous logistics technology and leverage its customer network to deploy the technology.

RoboTruck develops AI-driven autonomous systems for heavy-duty trucks. The company’s founder, Nan Wu, previously led development of Level 4 autonomous trucks in the United States and achieved what the company claims was the world’s first fully uncrewed truck operation in 2021.

In Japan, RoboTruck has conducted successful demonstration tests and plans to trial autonomous routes between Tokyo and Nagoya in fiscal 2025, and Tokyo and Osaka in fiscal 2026, according to the release.

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