Pony AI is at the forefront in reshaping how China’s transport industry works. Its connected, autonomous fleet of lorries (trucks) are already testing routes across the country. China has loudly proclaimed their wish to be the global leader in new technology. The advent of autonomous vehicles has long been considered a sea change toward a new era of innovation in logistics and transportation. According to industry experts and company representatives, however, this is only the start. They’re convinced we’re on the cusp of widespread implementation of autonomous driving technology.
Li Hengyu, the vice-president of Pony AI, doubles down on an uncertain future with his comments on driverless lorries. “In the future, with driverless operations, our transportation efficiency will definitely be greatly improved,” he states. Third, he notes, these vehicles eliminate the labor costs. They are designed to withstand for-hire operators’ demands for long hours, hard driving, tough maintenance, and ease of service.
China’s ambition to lead the world in advanced technology is clear, but it runs into limits. Gary Huang of Jones Lang LaSalle, an industry consultant, lists the following as some of the main reasons fueling the push for driverless lorries. These are government cheerleading, local testing, and continual regulatory evolution. This comprehensive, layered approach is designed to create an ecosystem conducive to the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
Hefei had made local headlines as home to cutting-edge autonomous vehicle trials. With that new designation, both Pony AI and Rino AI may now run their driverless lorries and delivery vans unaccompanied down your local streets. Hundreds of Rino AI’s autonomous delivery vans are already operating in suburban neighborhoods. Collectively, they represent the growing acceptance and integration of self-driving technology into our everyday lives. As Zhang Qichen—Rino AI’s regional director for Anhui Province—explains, their model has multiple advantages. Couriers build greater touchpoints into the community, and autonomous vans serve long-distance trips well at higher efficiencies. We’re using couriers to fulfill requests within neighborhoods, so the couriers can do pickup and delivery while the autonomous vans take care of the more repetitive, longer-distance routes. That increases the overall system productivity,” he adds.
Despite the remarkable developments, issues with safety and acceptance of autonomous vehicles still abound. She cautions that if we implement these technologies without considering the implications, we might face catastrophic consequences like fatal crashes and public backlash against these innovations. He emphasizes that while heavy trucks capable of driving themselves may become common within five years under specific conditions, the general public’s tolerance for mistakes made by machines is significantly lower compared to human drivers. “We humans can tolerate another human driver making mistakes but our tolerance for autonomous trucks is much much lower,” he cautions.
Only a few days later, a self-driving vehicle in “auto pilot” mode accidentally killed three university students in a tragic accident. This tragic incident underscores the very real dangers at play with autonomous driving technology. This tragic incident severely eroded public confidence in self-driving technology across the China. It underscores the fragile line that innovation can walk with safety.
Many the n otes t hese improvements and express concern over the potential for automation to displace the trucking workforce. In Professor Yang’s opinion, the jobs of lorry drivers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The move to larger, fully autonomous heavy trucks operating the length of the interstate system are still at least five years out.
As companies explore the economic benefits of driverless technology, Yang Ruigang points out that reducing operating costs is a primary motivator for investment in autonomous vehicles. “Anything that can reduce operating costs is something a company would like to have,” he says.
This is the story of Huo Kangtian, one of Pony AI’s safety drivers, recounting first hand experiences with operating one of Pony AI’s autonomous trucks. “Of course, I felt a bit scared the first time I drove an autonomous truck,” he admits. But after months of rigorous testing and use — not to mention the huge personal investment he made — he’s felt sure of their guarded safety. “After spending a lot of time observing and testing these machines, I think they are actually pretty good and safe,” he concludes.
Chim Lee underscores that the shift toward AVs is more than just a compliance or corporate social responsibility play for corporations. He’s convinced that the public will come to appreciate the good that this technology can do. These benefits range from saving money to making society better. “That, over time, the public will see the benefit of this technology,” he predicts.
China, too, has been at the vanguard of testing autonomous bey lorries as part of its national freight strategy. Yet this journey is only starting. With government support fueling innovation and companies like Pony AI and Rino AI pioneering advancements in autonomous logistics, the potential for transforming both urban and rural transportation is vast.