Alibaba’s Cainiao Launches L4 Self-Driving Delivery Vehicles

Alibaba’s Cainiao Launches L4 Self-Driving Delivery Vehicles

(Yicai) Sept. 11 — Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has launched its Level-4 autonomous delivery vehicles aiming to achieve large-scale parcel deliveries on public roads.

Cainiao has been investing in self-driving technology since 2016 and has started mass production this year, Chief Executive Wan Lin said at the 2024 Global Smart Logistics Summit yesterday. Dozens of Chinese cities have authorized high-capacity autonomous delivery vehicles on public roads, signaling growing acceptance and expanding opportunities for industry use, he added.

More than 200,000 autonomous delivery vehicles will likely be deployed in the logistics sector over the next three to five years, according to Cainiao’s Chief Technology Officer Li Qiang. This is thanks to the rapid advancement of self-driving technology in the past decade, which has eliminated technical barriers for low- to medium-speed driving on open roads, he noted.

With regulations evolving, more industry players recognize the potential of self-driving vehicles to meet delivery demand and boost efficiency, Li pointed out.

Cainiao’s comprehensive courier station in Hangzhou’s Yuhang district is a prime example of the firm’s autonomous delivery capabilities, Li said. A fleet of over 20 autonomous vehicles with a 5-cubic-meter loading capacity each handles last-mile deliveries there, he noted.

These vehicles deliver more than 30 percent of the station’s parcels, with each transporting at least 1,500 packages a day, Li said, adding that the implementation of autonomous vehicles is expected to reduce delivery costs by 1 to 5 Chinese cents per package.

While the full impact of autonomous delivery vehicles on the logistics sector remains to be seen, there are specific requirements for application scenarios and compatible station scales, according to industry insiders. Given the high production and maintenance costs, whether self-driving delivery vehicles can significantly lower logistics delivery expenses across the industry is yet to be determined, they added.

The sector remains focused on leveraging self-driving vehicles to enhance delivery efficiency and explore future possibilities in the rapidly evolving logistics landscape, the insiders pointed out.

Editor: Martin Kadiev

Source: www.yicaiglobal.com