Japanese firms deploy AI and LiDAR to measure truck payloads

Japanese companies are introducing new technologies to improve truck payload measurement and logistics efficiency.

Mitsubishi Electric Digital Innovation has announced ‘Rulerless Truck’, a service scheduled for release on October 1, 2026. The service utilizes smartphones equipped with LiDAR scanners to scan truck beds and calculate loading rates. This data can be stored and shared via the cloud to help shippers and logistics providers optimize transport efficiency and comply with logistics efficiency laws.

Separately, ShinMaywa Industries has developed an AI-powered payload meter for large dump trucks. This option uses pressure sensors to measure weight in real-time, employing AI to correct errors caused by vehicle posture changes. The system can achieve a measurement accuracy within plus or minus 1 percent under specific conditions. Early adopters, such as the Osaka-based company Yoshiken, are using the technology to maximize the capacity of ultra-lightweight dump trucks while ensuring regulatory compliance.