原田英語の時事英語ジュニア｜英語ニュース ワークシート（高校生レベル）
Class ____ No. ____ Name ____________________
自動運転トラックが無人で高速道路へ！アメリカで家具を運ぶ計画
Driverless Trucks Set to Carry IKEA Goods on a Texas Highway
1Kodiak, a U.S. self-driving truck company, said on September 29 that IKEA will be the first customer to ship goods on its trucks with no human in the cab. The driverless trucks are expected to start running later in 2026. The company said the launch is only months away.
2The first driverless route covers 219 miles, or about 350 kilometers, mainly on Interstate 45 between the Houston and Dallas areas. It is part of a longer IKEA route that links a distribution center near Houston with a store north of Dallas. The full IKEA route is 292 miles long.
3The two companies have worked together for four years. In that time, Kodiak's trucks have hauled more than 1,300 loads and driven over 750,000 miles on their own, but always with a safety observer on board. Kodiak said the trucks delivered almost every load on time. Before removing that person, the company said it is finishing a detailed safety case that shows the truck can operate without anyone inside.
4Self-driving trucks raise questions about the future of truck drivers. Kodiak said its trucks will focus on long-distance highway trips. The company said this could allow human drivers to shift toward local delivery jobs, which keep them closer to home.
5Other firms are moving in the same direction. Aurora, another U.S. company, aims to have more than 30,000 driverless trucks on the road by 2030. It plans to have more than 200 of them running by the end of this year.
Words 単語
| customerA2 | 名 | 顧客、客a person or company that buys a service |
| shipA1 | 動 | （荷物を）送る、運ぶto send things to another place |
| routeB2 | 名 | 路線、道すじthe way you go from one place to another |
| distribution centerB1 | 名 | 物流センターa large building where goods are stored and sent out |
| hauled外 | 動 | 運んだ（haul の過去分詞）carried something heavy over a long way |
| loadsA2 | 名 | （1回分の）積み荷（load の複数形）amounts of goods carried at one time |
| observerB2 | 名 | 見守る人、監視役a person who watches carefully |
| operateA2 | 動 | 動く、運行するto work or run in the right way |
| shiftB1 | 動 | 移る、移すto move from one place or job to another |
| deliveryB1 | 名 | 配送、配達taking things to people's homes or shops |
単語のレベル：CEFR-J（『CEFR-J Wordlist Version 1.6』 東京外国語大学投野由紀夫研究室. （URL: https://www.cefr-j.org/download.html より 2026年8月ダウンロード））
1. Reading Quiz 本文の内容に合うものを選ぼう
What will be special about the trucks carrying IKEA goods?
A. They will fly.B. They will have no human in the cab.C. They will carry only food.D. They will have two drivers.
Which highway will the trucks mainly use?
A. Interstate 45B. Route 66C. A road in JapanD. A road in London
How many miles have Kodiak's trucks driven on their own for IKEA?
A. About 219 milesB. About 1,300 milesC. About 30,000 milesD. More than 750,000 miles
What does Kodiak say human drivers could do?
A. Drive only at nightB. Build robotsC. Shift toward local delivery jobsD. Work in IKEA stores
What is Aurora's goal?
A. More than 30,000 driverless trucks by 2030B. One driverless truck by 2030C. Selling furnitureD. Building a new highway
2. True or False 正しければ T、違っていれば F
( ) Kodiak and IKEA have worked together for four years.
( ) Kodiak's trucks have always driven without a safety observer.
( ) The first driverless route is about 350 kilometers long.
( ) The route links Houston with New York.
3. Fill in the Blanks 下の語から選んで空らんをうめよう（形を変えずに）
operaterouteshiftcustomerloadhauled
Kodiak, a U.S. self-driving truck company, said on September 29 that IKEA will be the first _____ to ship goods on its trucks with no human in the cab.
Before removing that person, the company said it is finishing a detailed safety case that shows the truck can _____ without anyone inside.
The company said this could allow human drivers to _____ toward local delivery jobs, which keep them closer to home.
Kodiak said the trucks delivered almost every _____ on time.
In that time, Kodiak's trucks have _____ more than 1,300 loads and driven over 750,000 miles on their own, but always with a safety observer on board.
The first driverless _____ covers 219 miles, or about 350 kilometers, mainly on Interstate 45 between the Houston and Dallas areas.
4. Word Order 語を並べかえて正しい文にしよう
( years / two / companies / four / together / for / have / The / worked ) .
( highway / trucks / long-distance / will / Kodiak / focus / trips / its / on / said ) .
( are / firms / in / same / the / direction / Other / moving ) .
5. Think and Write 英語で答えてみよう
Should companies replace long-distance truck drivers with self-driving trucks? Give reasons.（会社は長距離のトラック運転手を自動運転トラックに置きかえるべきでしょうか？理由を挙げよう。）
What new jobs might self-driving trucks create?（自動運転トラックは、どんな新しい仕事を生むと思いますか？）
Answers 解答
1. (1) B (2) A (3) D (4) C (5) A
2. (1) T (2) F (3) T (4) F
3. (1) customer (2) operate (3) shift (4) load (5) hauled (6) route
4.
- The two companies have worked together for four years.
- Kodiak said its trucks will focus on long-distance highway trips.
- Other firms are moving in the same direction.
全文訳
1アメリカの自動運転トラックの会社コディアックは9月29日、運転席の部分に人がいないトラックで商品を運ぶ最初の顧客はイケアになると発表しました。この無人のトラックは、2026年中に走り始める見こみです。会社は、開始まであと数か月だと述べました。
2最初の無人の路線は219マイル（約350キロ）で、おもにヒューストンとダラスの地域を結ぶ州間高速道路45号線を走ります。これは、ヒューストン近くの物流センターとダラスの北にある店を結ぶ、イケアのより長いルートの一部です。イケアのルート全体は292マイルの長さです。
32社は4年間いっしょに取り組んできました。その間に、コディアックのトラックは1300回以上の荷物を運び、75万マイル以上を自動で走りましたが、いつも安全を見守る人が乗っていました。コディアックによると、トラックはほぼすべての荷物を時間どおりに届けました。その人を乗せないようにする前に、会社は、だれも乗っていなくてもトラックが走れることを示すくわしい安全の根拠をまとめているところだと説明しました。
4自動運転トラックは、トラック運転手の将来について疑問を投げかけています。コディアックは、自社のトラックは高速道路の長距離の移動に力を入れると述べました。会社は、これによって人間の運転手が、家の近くで働ける地域の配送の仕事に移れるようになると説明しました。
5ほかの会社も同じ方向に動いています。アメリカの別の会社オーロラは、2030年までに3万台をこえる無人のトラックを道路で走らせることを目指しています。今年の終わりまでに、200台をこえるトラックを走らせる計画です。
文法ポイント：関係代名詞 which（非制限用法）
「, which ～」で、前の名詞にくわしい説明を足す。本文の ... local delivery jobs, which keep them closer to home. は「地域の配送の仕事、そしてそれは家の近くで働けるものだ」と補足している。
出典：Kodiak AI、TechCrunch、TechCrunch ほか（記事は原田英語の時事英語ジュニアのオリジナル）｜https://www.haradaeigo.com/jijieigo-junior/news/2026-09-29-driverless-trucks-ikea-texas/