Apr. 13, 2022
Source: Wenhui Daily
How can essential supplies reach residents in lockdown and controlled zones during COVID-19 outbreaks? The answer lies in autonomous delivery vehicles. In a race against time and in the battle against the virus, Rino.ai’s self-driving delivery vehicles have demonstrated the technological strength and logistical advantages of unmanned systems. Supporting Yonghui Superstores, Rino.ai helped overcome one of the biggest challenges in emergency logistics: last 3 kilometers, last 100 meters.
According to preliminary reports, autonomous delivery vehicles from various companies—Meituan's yellow model, Haomo’s white “Xiaobaitu,” JD’s red version, and Rino.ai’s iconic blue-and-white vehicle—are now operating on the streets of Shanghai.
“Since the outbreak began in March, Rino.ai has completed close to 20,000 deliveries of essential supplies,” a company spokesperson said.Rino.ai’s autonomous delivery service was initially launched in Shanghai’s Jiading District in 2020, offering last-mile delivery of groceries and daily necessities to over 35 communities in the Anting area. The vehicles have since served nearly 40,000 residents, covering over 60,000 kilometers of autonomous deliveries. Since March, the unmanned fleet has maintained continuous delivery operations, supporting Yonghui Superstores in ensuring timely fulfillment of online orders.
In the early hours of each day, Yonghui warehouse staff begin sorting and packing supplies. These are then loaded onto Rino.ai’s autonomous vehicles, which promptly set off to multiple communities across Anting for contactless deliveries.
Since April, with prolonged lockdown measures and a spike in community-based group orders, Rino.ai has operated dozens of autonomous vehicles under the guidance of the Anting Township Government. The focus has been on maintaining uninterrupted delivery coverage of the critical last three kilometers.
Rino.ai’s vehicles have proven particularly effective in large-volume transport tasks. Each unit can carry over 200 kg (approx. 450 lbs) of supplies per trip—ideal for transporting bulk items like rice, flour, cooking oil, toilet paper, and milk. Internal statistics show that a single community in Anting receives an average of 700 orders per day, with the Rino.ai fleet capable of completing all deliveries within 1–2 hours.
In collaboration with Yonghui Superstores, Rino.ai is helping deliver smarter, more efficient essential supply services throughout Shanghai. Yonghui has coordinated with neighborhood committees and local street offices to prepare over 2 million supply packages for residents.
On April 10, 107 Yonghui employees flew from Fuzhou to Shanghai on a chartered flight to support the city’s anti-pandemic logistics efforts. They brought their own bedding, food supplies, and protective equipment, arriving at Yonghui’s Baoshan warehouse for immediate closed-loop management and centralized packing of emergency supplies. Yonghui is expected to send an additional 600 personnel to Shanghai in the coming week.
Rino.ai will continue to deploy more unmanned vehicles to Shanghai, enhancing the delivery capacity of Yonghui stores in multiple districts. The goal is to ensure timely and safe delivery of essential goods to residents and support the city's ongoing public health efforts.
