Autonomous driving technology makes freight services smarter

By Yao Xueqing, Han Xin, People’s Daily

Autonomous freight transportation is making rapid progress in China as the country continuously improves relevant policies and standards and strengthens pilot and demonstration projects.

Leveraging intelligent transportation pilot applications, China is experimenting with autonomous driving technologies on a larger scale, focusing on typical freight transportation scenarios, including road freight, delivery, intra-park transportation, and ride-hailing services. port goods.

Statistics indicate that as of the end of 2023, about 1,000 self-driving trucks have been put into operation by more than 100 entities that have joined pilot projects for intelligent transportation applications, and self-driving container trucks have been deployed in about 20 ports.

One morning, a heavy red truck, about 16 meters long, was speeding along the Shanghai-Nanjing Highway. After passing a toll booth in Suzhou, eastern China’s Jiangsu province, driver Sun Yefu activated an intelligent driver mode. From then on, all he had to do was sit in the driver’s seat and watch as the truck automatically moved, avoided obstacles or changed lanes based on real traffic.

“The cabin of the heavy-duty truck is equipped with several types of sensors, including millimeter-wave radar, laser radar and high-definition cameras. They act as the truck’s ‘eyes’ that allow it to see traffic hundreds of meters ahead,” said Cui Dixiao, chief scientist of the SmtextartruckSuzhou-based autonomous driving solutions developer.

According to Cui, the heavy truck’s multi-sensing capabilities allow it to be resilient even in heavy rain and fog. It can detect traffic jams in advance and adjust the speed accordingly, ensuring stable driving and saving fuel.

Last year, in collaboration with the Chinese automaker JAC Group, Smartxtruck customized a smart heavy truck model for the courier industry. So far, the model has been used by logistics companies in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. No accidents have been reported and the model saves up to 10% fuel.

At the port of Nantong, Jiang Province, eastern Chinaon province, five self-driving container trucks were working in an orderly manner in a closed operating area. They drove to a designated spot along a planned route and docked with a gantry crane. Next, the crane lifted the containers and loaded them onto the truck trailers.

It is the first self-driving container truck fleet in Jiangsu province. “In the past, drivers spent a lot of time and energy to complete this work, but now, with smart trucks, the error can be controlled within five centimeters,” said Jiang Haozhou, a port employee.

Jiang said that with technological advancements, the emergence of intelligent and unmanned transportation has become possible. Not only are they more flexible and intelligent, but they require no changes to dock infrastructure, making them suitable for more than 95% of traditional docks across China. This upgrade in freight transportation methods will elevate the industry to a new level.

On an open road in the free trade zone of Wuxi New District, Jiangsu province, a modified autonomous logistics vehicle carried 10 tons of raw materials and components on its way from a bonded warehouse of Jiangsu JD-Link International Logistics Co. , Ltd. to the warehouse of a US-funded enterprise in the free trade zone.

Safety inspector Xu Hongming told the People’s Daily that, guided by high-definition maps and an intelligent driving system, the vehicle can start, accelerate, change lanes and park automatically. Since the vehicle was put into service last September, there has been no possibility that Xu would have to intervene in the operation of the truck.

After entering the destination warehouse, the vehicle parked in front of a platform 1.3 meters above the ground. An autonomous forklift entered directly into the cargo tank, unloaded the cargo and moved it onto a conveyor belt. The automated conveyor belt then sorted the load and placed it on a shelf.

Qian Shaohua, head of an innovation research institute of Jiangsu JD-Link International Logistics Co., Ltd., told the People’s Daily that the path in this scenario is simple and fixed, making it ideal for autonomous driving.

This technology enables 24/7 real-time response for precise deliveries, facilitating seamless integration and deep collaboration between the logistics and manufacturing sectors. It enables customized, small-batch, high-frequency flexible manufacturing, which is shaping the future of manufacturing as it continues to transform and upgrade, Qian added.

Source: Popular online newspaper