The smart last-mile delivery partnership between Guangzhou Huadu District and LD Logistics is one of the happiest moments for Liu Qiangdong, founder of JD.com. This partnership was signed on the 21st of December, at the Future Automotive and Mobility Conference. The conference was held in Guangzhou by the World Economic Forum. The collaboration between both companies will be a big milestone as the work on the co-construction of a demonstration zone featuring autonomous delivery vehicles.
The idea that vehicles can drive themselves to specific locations for deliveries of all sorts of items is one that has been in the works for some time now. But having locations where this can be done has not yet been accomplished. With Liu Qiangdong and others partnering up and working on the issue, it’s now more likely that these vehicles can make it to the roads faster. Being able to test them in a particular area will allow for correcting any problems this type of delivery may experience in the future.
The Specifics of the Agreement
The specific agreement, says Liu Qiangdong, calls for JD Logistics to provide autonomous delivery vehicles throughout Huadu District. These vehicles will be designed to help meet the needs of enterprises, individuals, and institutions in that area. As the two parties work together they will create opportunities for urban delivery models that are completely contactless. Eventually, when any issues have been worked out and corrected with these vehicles in Huadu District they will expand to other areas.
By 2025, it’s expected that the pilot project zone will cover up to 970 square kilometers throughout the district. Huadu District is optimistic, as is Liu Qiangdong when it comes to this level of implementation. While it will take some time to fully create the program, and even longer to move it to other areas and districts, the main goal is to get started working out any problems that may be seen. With a smaller area of implementation at the beginning of the project, this will be easier for everyone to address.
Partnerships Will Be Ongoing
Another important focus for Liu Qiangdong and JD.com will be the way JD Logistics works with additional companies to do even more in the contactless delivery space. The head of the intelligent supply chain platform and JD-X logistics innovation lab for JD Logistics, Qiang Wang, states that “We will collaborate together to promote the construction of the urban smart connected delivery network.” By working with more companies it’s easier for JD Logistics to explore R&D options for technology.
Right now, there are already contactless delivery vehicles used by JD Logistics and moving throughout some of China’s cities, says Liu Qiangdong. On Singles’ Day, the company used almost 400 fully autonomous vehicles in over 25 cities throughout the country. That allowed for 200 percent more orders to be delivered compared with the previous year. The contactless delivery vehicles have been used in a lot of scenarios, including university campuses, hotels, commercial centers, and residential compounds
Business parks and similar types of locations are also popular areas for these vehicles to be used, which is one of the reasons that additional partnerships could be so valuable to Liu Qiangdong and his company. As a part of JD.com, JD Logistics is dedicated to the development of technological inventions and interventions that can help people live better lives. Getting faster and easier deliveries to more people is a big part of that and can increase both value and efficiency for people throughout China.
Liu Qiangdong Focuses on Opportunity for Everyone
Growing up in poverty in a small village in rural China, Liu Qiangdong wanted more for himself and his family. When he founded JD.com it was just a tiny company, but he had big dreams for it. Now it’s one of the largest companies in the world, and he is able to give back to the people who need it most. By focusing on the areas where the biggest opportunities are possible, JD Logistics and the companies it partners with are able to do the most good for the largest number of people.
As Liu Qiangdong continually works to expand the product and service offerings of JD.com he understands that helping customers get what they want and need is at the forefront of the next revolution in development. Delivery is an important part of many businesses, and that’s only going to grow stronger as more people choose to work from home, have groceries and other items delivered, and focus on important aspects of their lives.
While the pandemic affected how much of an interest people had in the delivery of goods to their homes and businesses, the convenience of this option is ongoing and will only continue to grow in the future. JD Logistics and its partnerships with others will be at the forefront of much of the development.
