Vehicle Transport Robots Demo at Okinawa Port – Sustainable Logistics
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to Test Autonomous Vehicle Transport Robots in Okinawa
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Key Announcement: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems (MHI-MS) will begin demonstration testing of autonomous vehicle transport robots for finished vehicle logistics (FVL) in Okinawa, Japan, starting December 1st, 2025.This is supported by a “Testbed Support Subsidy Program” from Okinawa Prefecture.
What the Robots Do: These robots autonomously move vehicles in places like manufacturing plants, motor pools, shopping malls, airports, and more. Crucially, they work without requiring the vehicles themselves to be self-driving or equipped with special dialog technology.
Partnership & Development: MHI-MS has been collaborating with French company Stanley Robotics as 2021 to develop this technology. They’ve secured seven core patents in Japan and completed domestic development of a customizable system in March 2025.
Why okinawa? Okinawa was chosen for the test because:
* It has a high rate of car ownership, notably used cars.
* It’s a major rental car hub.
* The port motor pool faces challenges with harsh working conditions, labor shortages, and a need for digital conversion (DX) in vehicle management.
Benefits: The system aims to reduce the physical burden on workers, address labor shortages, and improve efficiency in vehicle logistics.
In essence, MHI-MS is piloting a solution to automate the movement of vehicles, particularly used cars, in a region facing specific logistical and workforce challenges.