JD.com, Meituan & Neolix to Trial Autonomous Delivery in Beijing

Autonomous Delivery Trials Begin in Beijing

Residents of a Beijing suburb are now witnessing the introduction of autonomous delivery mini-vans operating within their community.

These vehicles will be navigating alongside traditional delivery personnel on scooters and bicycles. The city of Beijing has officially authorized JD.com, Meituan, and Neolix to conduct trials of self-driving delivery vehicles.

Pilot Program Details

The trials will take place on designated public roads within the Yizhuang Development Area. This area is a key economic and technological pilot zone established by the Beijing municipal government.

The announcement regarding this initiative was made at a recent mobility conference. Yizhuang has proactively invested in widespread 5G coverage to support the necessary infrastructure for these autonomous driving projects.

All three companies are utilizing compact, box-shaped vehicles, conceptually similar to those developed by Nuro, for transporting goods.

Company Approaches to Autonomous Delivery

Neolix, a three-year-old company supported by Chinese EV manufacturer Li Auto, specializes in creating self-driving vehicles for various urban applications, including retail and surveillance.

Both JD.com and Meituan, established technology leaders, are increasingly focused on integrating unmanned delivery into their core business operations.

JD.com employs its own dedicated delivery staff, while Meituan leverages a nationwide network of riders for restaurant delivery services.

Both companies have been independently developing autonomous driving technologies and are also exploring the use of delivery drones within China.

Neolix plans to deploy 150 delivery robots on Beijing streets by June. JD.com has not disclosed the number of vehicles it will deploy.

A response from Meituan regarding their deployment numbers was not immediately available.

Regulations and Safety Measures

Authorities in the Beijing pilot zone have established specific regulations for the operation of these zero-occupant delivery vehicles.

These robots are currently classified as “non-motor vehicles,” meaning they will operate alongside bicycles and scooters, rather than in regular traffic lanes.

Road conditions in Chinese cities can be particularly challenging, even for pedestrians and cyclists, due to unpredictable traffic patterns and pedestrian behavior.

The regulations also mandate that the robots have both on-site and remote safety drivers available.

Operational Capabilities

JD.com states that its technology enables a single remote safety driver to monitor up to 50 operating delivery robots concurrently.

Their vehicles will transport packages from logistics centers and supermarkets to offices, residential areas, and school campuses.

Customers will receive a pick-up code via text message to retrieve their orders directly from the delivery van.

Neolix’s vehicles function as mobile vending machines, offering snacks and lunchboxes to workers in office complexes.

Users can order items through a touchscreen on the robot, pay using a QR code, and receive their purchase immediately.