Fri, 06 Jun 2025

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 On board the driverless lorries hoping to transform China's transport industry

Driverless lorries are now operating across China - but public concern about these vehicles remains.

* China's Pony AI has a fleet of driverless lorries operating on test routes between Beijing and Tianjin port.
* Safety drivers like Huo Kangtian, 32, ride along but can let go of the wheel for certain parts of the journey.
* Analysts say autonomous trucks will eventually replace human drivers, with labour costs being reduced to near zero.
* Industry expert Yang Ruigang says significant hurdles remain before driverless lorries are widely adopted, including public concern over safety.
* In Eastern China's Anhui Province, hundreds of driverless delivery vans navigate suburban streets, delivering parcels from distribution hubs to local neighbourhood stations.
* Autonomous vehicle company Rino.ai has deployed 500+ vans in over 50 cities, with a market niche in low-speed, long-distance trips.
* Professor Yang agrees that heavy trucks running along highways unrestricted is at least five years away.
* Technical challenges include improved cameras for detecting hazards, additional sensors on tricky roads, and addressing breakdowns in extreme weather.
* The technology is still not cheap, and vehicles are modified old-style lorries rather than self-driving vehicles straight off the production line.
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