This time, a report on the road heating technology developed jointly by our company and the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Corporation has been published in the 69th volume of the “Highways and Cars” magazine published by the Highway Research Association, Volume 11 (November 2026).

This technology is a load-heating technology utilizing the “TAIYO SHEET_RH” heat-transfer sheet, which is inspired by the traditional Japanese technique of washi paper. It was developed with the aim of preventing vehicle congestion caused by snow (stacking). By efficiently heating only the tire-running part, compared to conventional load-heating systems, it prevents vehicle congestion caused by snow while reducing energy consumption.

This technology is currently being used in several locations, including on highways in Japan. Furthermore, a paper on this technology was awarded the PIARC Prize at the 17th International Conference of PIARC held in France in March 2026.

This publication is a testament to the importance of this technology in the road construction industry, and we are very honored to have it featured in a specialized journal.

Going forward, the company will continue to work on developing technologies that support safe and secure social infrastructure, and will continue to advance technological development and dissemination to contribute to improving the safety of road infrastructure and achieving a decarbonized society.

Information on the published journal

Journal title: "Highways and Automobiles" Volume 69, Issue 11 (November 2026), pp. 20–23
Published by: High-Speed Road Research Foundation
Category: Technical report
Title: Road heating using paper made using traditional Japanese paper-making techniques
Author:Kazuhiro Kanatari (Capital Expressway Co., Ltd.) *
Zhang Guangfeng (Capital High-Speed Road Technology Center) *
Abe Kazuke (Representative Director and President of Solar Co., Ltd.)
Kanata Shinshi (Head of the TAIYOSHEET Business Division of the Company Sun)

*The author is affiliated with this organization at the time of writing.

The full report can be found in the above journal.

Related Links

PIARC AWARDS 2026
https://pre-proceedings-chambery2026.piarc.org/en/documents/PIARC-Awards-2026

TAIYO SHEET_RH introduction page
https://taiyo-sheet.jp/

■Inquiries
For inquiries regarding this technology, please use the form below.
https://taiyo-sheet.jp/contact/