A driverless vehicle towing freight containers zooms along the asphalt of the parking area. It happens at Japan's Tokyo-Haneda International Airport. A joint experiment conducted by the airline All Nippon Airways and Toyota Industries, which produced the road drone, began a few days ago at the airport. The aim would be to overcome the shortage of manpower during peak passenger flows.

Tests began on July 1, 2024. The vehicle can tow up to six containers at a time for a total of 13 tons. The vehicle is equipped with level 4 autonomous driving (does not require human presence on board). This road drone is used to travel between planes and airport buildings. Its operations are limited to an area whose maximum length is approximately two kilometers

This trial is the first of its kind at a Japanese airport. The test is part of a series of initiatives supported by the Tokyo government to innovate the airline industry. The goal of the airline All Nippon Airways, the manufacturer Toyota Industries, and the airport manager (the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure) is to make the vehicle fully operational by the end of 2025.