SUNING Logistics, a subsidiary of Chinese commercial giant Suning Holdings Group, has completed driving tests for its autonomous heavy-duty truck 'Strolling Dragon' in Shanghai, marking another milestone in the company's plan to offer fully-automated logistics solutions
SUNING Logistics, a subsidiary of Chinese commercial giant Suning Holdings Group, has completed driving tests for its autonomous heavy-duty truck 'Strolling Dragon' in Shanghai, marking another milestone in the company's plan to offer fully-automated logistics solutions. Strolling Dragon is the largest unmanned truck in Suning Logistics' automated fleet, boasting Level-4 self-driving capabilities; it is highly automated, and is able to operate without human input within pre-programmed parameters. It is the first self-driving truck developed by a Chinese e-commerce company to pass logistics campus tests and highway-scenario road tests in China, the company said.
'The success of Strolling Dragon's self-driving tests is a groundbreaking accomplishment for Suning and represents another step forward in our Online-to-Offline (O2O) smart retail strategy,' chairman of Suning Holdings Group, Zhang Jindong, said.
'Suning's goal is to develop its logistics business into the biggest and most intelligent retail infrastructure network in China. The promise of automation solutions will not only boost efficiency in Suning's logistics operations, but also benefit the industry, and consumers, by offering more possibilities, and a better shopping experience.'
Equipped with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), deep-learning technologies, and high-tech gadgets such as laser radar, Strolling Dragon has superhuman vision that enables it to accurately recognise obstacles at a distance of over 300 metres, even at high speed. In addition, the unmanned truck can make emergency stops, or avoid obstacles at a response rate of 25 ms, allowing for safe autonomous driving even at a speed of 80 km/h.
