Isuzu Motors Invests in Israeli AI Startup Foretellix to Enhance Autonomous Truck Safety Amid Driver Shortage

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:25 JST, December 9, 2023

Isuzu Motors Ltd. has invested in Israeli startup Foretellix, which verifies the safety of autonomous driving through using artificial intelligence, to accelerate the development of unmanned driving technology due to a growing shortage of drivers in the trucking industry.

Foretellix uses AI to simulate dangerous scenarios, such as people suddenly appearing, that are difficult to test in real life. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these simulations, it can increase the safety of autonomous driving. The company has also received investments from Woven Capital, a venture fund affiliated with Toyota Motor Corp., and the American semiconductor giant Nvidia Corp.

Isuzu is conducting demonstration experiments on autonomous driving for Level 4 trucking, where the system operates under specific conditions such as on highways. The company has determined that collaboration with companies that have AI technology is essential to ensure high safety standards. The amount Isuzu invested is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of yen.

In the trucking industry, there are high expectations for autonomous driving trucks. Isuzu plans to invest a total of ¥1 trillion in advanced technologies such as autonomous driving and electrification by the fiscal year 2030.