Chinese trucks don’t hope to expand

They sound on the highway between Beijing and Tianjin port: large trucks, loaded and completely capable of moving.

Of course, the seat has a security driver in accordance with the state rules, but these trucks do not require them, and many analysts say that it does not take much time before they do not leave.

If the “security driver” Huo Kangtian, 32, for the first time shoots hands from the steering wheel and allows a truck to ride on itself, it is somehow impressive and does not give up equal measures.

For the initial stages of the journey it is in full control. Then – at some point – it presses a few buttons, and the powerful, heavy machine moves, moving at the speed of the public road to Tianjin.

“Of course, I felt a little frightened when I was driving an autonomous truck,” Mr. Huo says. “But having spent a lot of time watching and testing these machines, I think they are actually pretty good and safe.”

As the truck breaks off the freeway and up the ramp to the paid gate, the machine is still moving. On the other side of Tollgate, Mr. Huo clicks on a few buttons and he is back.

“My work as a security driver is to act as the last line of defense. For example, in the event of an emergency, I will have to take control of the vehicle immediately to ensure everyone’s safety,” he explains.

In terms of the preference for the driver, he says that the transition to offline mode can help fight stress and fatigue, as well as free hands and legs for other tasks. He says it doesn’t make his work sad but more interesting.

Asked if he is worried that this technology can do his work outdated once, he said he didn’t know too much about it.

This is a diplomatic answer.

The Pony AI Fleet of trucks operating without drivers currently running on these test routes is just the beginning of what Li Hen tells BBC.

“In the future, with the operations without drivers, our efficiency of transport will certainly be significantly improved,” he says. “For example, labor costs will be reduced, but more importantly, we can better fight hard and long management hours.”

What is all about saving money, says that industry expert Jan Rugang, Professor of Technology at Shanghai Jiaotun, who has extensive experience on technology without drivers in both China and the USA.

“Anything that can reduce operating costs is that the company would like to have, so it is quite easy to justify the investment in the availability of a completely autonomous truck without drivers,” he says BBC.

In short, the goal is simple: “Reduce the cost of the driver close to zero.”

However, significant obstacles remain before the trucks will allow roads around the world – not least that raise public concerns.

In China, self -management technology suffered a big failure after the accident, which killed three university students after their car was “automatic pilot”.

Economist Intelligence Analyst Chim Lee says that the Chinese public still has a way to go before it is won.

“We know that recent crash cars have caused a huge shock in China. So, for trucks without drivers – although they are usually more characteristic of certain places – the image of the public will be absolutely critical for politicians, as well as for the market, compared to passenger vehicles.”

Professor Jan agrees that truck drivers are unlikely to lose a lot of work.

“We have to discuss the context. Open environment? Probably no. High speed?

In the east of the Anhui province in the eastern part of China, hundreds of minibus delivery without drivers move through the cottage streets – a city with an official population in eight million – both scooters controlled by humans and cars around them.

Once upon a time it was one of the poorest cities in the country, but these days, its government wants it to be known as the place of the future, prepared to give the opportunity for new technology.

Gary Juan, President of the Autonomous Company, Rino.Ai, says she has discovered a market niche where minibuses without the delivery of drivers can send parcels from large distribution centers run by courier companies to local neighborhood stations. At that moment, the drivers are imitated by scooters, dropping the packages to the front door.

“We allow couriers to stay in public to make a pickup and refuse as long as autonomous minibuses cope with repetitive, long trips. This increases the efficiency of the whole system,” he says.

Rino also talked to other countries, and the company says the fastest absorption of its cars will be in Australia this year when the supermarkets network starts using its vehicles without delivery.

Meanwhile, in China, they say they now work more than 500 minibuses with roads in more than 50 cities.

However, Hefei remains the most advanced.

In addition to Rino, the city also gave permission to other vans’ delivery companies.

Gary Juan says this is due to the combination of factors.

“The encouragement came from the government, after which local experiments, experience, clarification of the rules and ultimately allowing extensive implementation.”

And you can see them on the roads, changing the roads, showing before they turn, pulling up on red lights and avoiding another movement.

For courier companies, the numbers tell the story.

According to the Rino Regional Director for Anhui, Zhang Tichen, deliveries are not only faster, but companies can hire three autonomous minibuses that will work all day without requiring the same cost as one driver.

She says she was surprised at the change in her field and adds that he would not be surprised if heavy and long trucks regularly travel on the roads under certain circumstances for five years.

Professor Jan agrees. “Heavy trucks running on the highway unlimited for at least five years.”

Asked if it could really happen so fast, he replies: “I’m sure it will happen. In fact, I’m sure it will happen.”

The industry insiders say that the most direct use for car trucks of closed industrial zones, which love mines or ports with open-cut, are in distant, harsh terrain with extraordinary environmental conditions, especially on large sections and largely the direct trajectory.

Significant technical problems still remain.

A heavy truck requires the best cameras to track further forward to find the danger much further along the road, just as a person can; More sophisticated roads may also be required to have additional sensors located along the route; Other obstacles may include breakdowns in extreme weather or sudden, unexpected dangers that arise among very busy motions.

Apart from all this, technology – when it comes to heavy trucks – is still not cheap. Moreover, these vehicles are now changed by the old -style trucks rather than its own vehicles from the production line.

China wants to become a champion of new technologies, but it should also be careful not only from the potential of deadly accidents, but also because the Chinese can consider this change.

“It is not just about compliance with the rules. It is not only about creating a public image,” says Lee. “But this, over time, the public will see the benefits of this technology, see how it will reduce their cost of buying things, or look at it as a way to imagine that society is improving, but not regard it as a technology that potentially destroys car accidents or deleting employment opportunities.”

Professor Jan sees another problem. “We, people, can carry another person’s driver who make mistakes, but our autonomous truck tolerance is much lower. Machines should not make mistakes. So we must make sure the system is extremely reliable.”