Jul. 15, 2021
Source: Autohome
Rino.ai, a leading autonomous driving technology company, has announced the completion of a new funding round totaling nearly USD 10 million. The round was led by Linear Capital. According to the company, the funds will be used to further advance its efforts in autonomous technology and large-scale deployment. Rino.ai aims to build a safer, more stable, and more intelligent autonomous driving system—along with infrastructure capable of supporting scaled commercial operations—as it prepares for the future of driverless delivery.
Founded in April 2019, Rino.ai specializes in full-stack autonomous delivery solutions and supports long-term deployment of autonomous vehicles for urban last-mile logistics. The company was co-founded by Lei Zhu and Dr. Tian Xia, both of whom were core members of Baidu’s former autonomous driving team.
Rino.ai’s innovations lie in two key areas: autonomous driving systems and its self-developed delivery operations platform. On the technology front, the company has made business-specific advancements in perception, prediction, planning and control, HD mapping and localization, functional safety, simulation, computing units, data platforms, and remote operations systems. These innovations enable reliable operation in complex environments including rain, snow, fog, and nighttime conditions—supporting around-the-clock autonomous delivery services.
In the fall of 2020, Rino.ai began a pilot collaboration with Yonghui Superstores at its Anting Xinzhen branch in Shanghai—its first commercial retail partner. Today, Rino.ai’s autonomous vehicles operate fully driverless on public roads, delivering goods directly to nearby residents, making driverless retail delivery a real-world application.
The company believes that the supermarket fresh goods scenario is particularly well-suited for autonomous delivery. Compared with food delivery, supermarket orders often include heavier and more delicate items such as fruits and vegetables, which are better suited for vehicle transport than human couriers. Additionally, consumers purchasing from supermarkets are generally less sensitive to delivery time than those ordering hot meals.
Lei Zhu, CEO of Rino.ai, noted that the collaboration with Yonghui has significantly enhanced the team’s operational capabilities, especially in aligning technical solutions with in-store logistics processes. He also confirmed that the two parties have agreed on the next phase of their partnership: expanding the “Yonghui + Rino.ai” model beyond Anting to additional Yonghui locations in other cities.
As autonomous delivery moves from concept to reality, Rino.ai is committed to advancing both its technologies and operational capabilities. By working closely with partners across the value chain, the company seeks to drive the industry toward a scalable, intelligent, and unmanned future of last-mile logistics.
