Mar. 18, 2026
Source:
On March 18, the launch of Zhongshan’s functional autonomous logistics vehicle demonstration and the first batch of autonomous vehicle dispatch ceremony were held with great fanfare. Rino.ai’s autonomous vehicles received Zhongshan’s first batch of unmanned delivery licenses and officially began operations in the Torch Development Zone and Cuiheng New Area, simultaneously supporting SF Express parcel transfers and food delivery services for the local bus group, marking the start of dual-scenario service deployment.
At the ceremony, a Rino.ai R5 autonomous delivery vehicle smoothly departed after being loaded with insulated meal boxes, officially beginning the food delivery route from Zhongshan Bus Chengdong Station to Haodong Station.
“Previously, we assigned delivery vans with dedicated drivers for this task. Now that autonomous delivery vehicles are in operation, it saves a lot of manpower,” said a representative from Zhongshan Bus Group. The company has partnered with Rino.ai for this pilot, handling the delivery of meals along a route approximately 2 km one way (4.5 km round trip), with the autonomous vehicle completing a single trip in 12 minutes.
In addition to the bus meal delivery route, Rino.ai has also launched two pilot express delivery routes, handling shipments from SF Express outlets to local parcel stations.
According to Zhang Kai, Deputy General Manager of SF Express in Western Guangdong, the autonomous delivery vehicles adopt a four-stage full-scenario application model:
last-mile delivery within enclosed campuses, last-100-meter delivery in buildings, 3 km transfers from outlets to subordinate stations, and trunk transport from transfer hubs to outlets.
As road access gradually opens citywide, SF Express plans to deploy over 60 autonomous vehicles across more than 55 routes in Zhongshan, covering all core delivery scenarios. Operational data shows that a single autonomous vehicle can complete 4–6 trips per day, handling 250–500 packages, significantly improving transfer efficiency. This also frees delivery personnel from frequent trips between outlets, saving approximately one hour of travel time daily, allowing them to focus on doorstep service and customer communication. During peak periods such as 618 and Singles’ Day, 24-hour continuous operations can further shorten delivery times, fully optimizing the customer experience.
The Zhongshan project marks a key step in Rino.ai’s expansion across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the deepening of its commercial deployment. Leveraging mature local road-access policies, Rino.ai will use Zhongshan as a model city, gradually building out its autonomous delivery network in phases. This network will provide efficient logistics support for partners such as SF Express and Zhongshan Bus Group, while the operational model will be progressively replicated across the Pearl River Delta. Simultaneously, Rino.ai plans to expand into campus delivery, security patrol, and new retail logistics, creating a comprehensive smart delivery service ecosystem.
As a leader in the L4 autonomous logistics sector, Rino.ai has established a complete “technology–product–business” loop, earning high recognition from both capital markets and the industry. Beyond Zhongshan’s dual scenarios of SF Express parcel delivery and bus meal distribution, its operations now span over 170 cities worldwide, covering diverse autonomous logistics applications. Looking ahead, Rino.ai will continue advancing core technology R&D and product mass production, deepen collaboration with partners across sectors, and empower the evolution of smart logistics, contributing to the creation of an efficient, green, and borderless logistics ecosystem.
