World's first self-driving road for cargo transportation planned in China

(ECNS) -- A Chinese startup in autonomous driving announced on Tuesday it would engage in the planning and design of the world’s first autonomous driving logistics line from Jiuquan to Mingshui in northwest China’s Gansu Province.

The 430-kilometer logistics line is designed for cargo transportation on main logistics lines, said the technical team of China Communications Construction Group.

This road is located in the hinterland of the Hexi Corridor, a flat no-man's land. This region is rich in light and wind energy, which can produce green hydrogen at a low cost.

Heavy trucks powered by hydrogen will run on this line, and hydrogen refueling stations and cargo transfer sites will be established. Refueling a heavy truck once a day, which takes 10 to 15 minutes, is enough to support the truck for long-distance travel.

These self-driving heavy trucks will run without human drivers. People will only help with refueling and unloading goods.

Construction of the road is planned to begin in 2023 and should be completed in two years. It is expected to operate in 2025, with the first batch of 600 heavy trucks running on it.