Japan's UD Trucks Corp has announced its innovation roadmap for 2030, aiming to deliver solutions for smart logistics, including fully electric and autonomous trucks in line with Volvo Group.
Saitama-based UD Trucks, formerly known as Nissan Diesel, was founded in Japan in 1935 before becoming part of Gothenburg-based Volvo Group in 2007.
The vision titled "Fujin & Raijin" focuses on a step-by-step approach together with its customers to offer commercialised solutions for select automation and electro-mobility applications from 2020, with a view towards full-fledged commercialisation by 2030.
Joachim Rosenberg, chairman of UD Trucks, said demand for parcel delivery is expected to grow 50% by 2030, compared with 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," said Mr Rosenberg.
This vision is the global roadmap, but for Southeast Asia, it seems a stretch for this region to comply with these new truck features, said Jacques Michel, president of Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs Sales.
"Under the group, all new technology is required to work for the customers' needs and meet each country's regulations to match industry trends," he said.
Mr Michel said new features under UD have to be developed step-by-step in this region.
UD Trucks should see a larger sales volume than Volvo trucks in Southeast Asia because this market prefers the Japanese brand to the European one.
Mr Michel said UD is being used mainly in construction, mining, tourism and logistics industries.
"This region is such an important market for UD as there is rising demand for new trucks in a Indochina -- comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam -- countries producing healthy GDP growth, including through border trade with Thailand," he said.
