Shenzhen plans to deploy more than 1,000 small autonomous vehicles in logistics and street cleaning by the end of next year, a first in China, an official said at a recent forum that brought together experts and industrial leaders from across the country to discuss the commercial use of intelligent public transport.
The practice will reduce the existing electric tricycles and electric two-wheelers on the streets and improve logistic delivery efficiency, Xu Wei, deputy director-general of the Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau, told the audience at the forum earlier this week.
"Currently, we are communicating with SF Express and Meituan, which are working on detailed plans for the purpose," Xu said.
The city will highlight the development of intelligent connected vehicles and small autonomous vehicles and aim to build itself into a hub for the development of autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, characterized by their enhanced safety, efficiency, and inclusive accessibility, are exerting a growing influence on daily life, according to Xu. With substantial market potential, they are poised to catalyze the advancement of the intelligent connected industry.
Shenzhen is set to prioritize the policy formulation, application, supportive infrastructure, and innovation of autonomous vehicles and is working towards its goal of becoming the country's first demonstration city in which autonomous vehicles can drive on any road, thereby ensuring their large-scale operation across various service sectors. Additionally, Shenzhen is positioning itself to become a leading hub for the innovative development of autonomous vehicles, according to Xu.
The city will also devise guidelines to foster the high-quality development of the autonomous vehicle economy and is on track to establish standards for this burgeoning sector.
In 2023, China's low-speed autonomous vehicle industry achieved a sales revenue of 8.5 billion yuan (US$11.7 billion), a year-on-year increase of 63%, according to a report released by the Low-Speed Unmanned Driving Industry Alliance. The number of various low-speed autonomous vehicles sold totaled 24,500, a year-on-year increase of 22%.
It is predicted that by 2025, the sales revenue of China's low-speed autonomous vehicle industry will reach 16 billion yuan, and the sales volume of various low-speed autonomous vehicles may reach 34,000 units, according to the report.