Chongqing - Amid the rapid advancements in autonomous driving, a Chinese company is making waves with its latest innovation, KargoBot, which is set to revolutionize heavy-duty, long-haul transport.

"Unlike passenger vehicles, trucks are significantly heavier, making them harder to control in terms of steering, braking, and acceleration—particularly on rough roads filled with potholes or obstacles like speed bumps," said Wei Junqing, CEO of KargoBot, in an exclusive interview with Bridging News on October 10.

Wei Junqing, CEO of KargoBot. (Photo/KargoBot)

"The rural and industrial areas we operate in are far less structured than urban environments, which makes autonomous navigation even more challenging," Wei explained.

KargoBot's trucks are purpose-built for these demanding environments, where traditional ride-sharing vehicles or urban autonomous solutions would falter. 

The company specializes in the sustainable and scalable commercialization of autonomous trucks through its innovative Hybrid Driverless Solution (HDS), which integrates human and machine intelligence to tackle operational challenges that other autonomous truck solutions have yet to solve.

By leveraging cutting-edge technology, KargoBot aims to mass-produce autonomous trucks focused on industrial applications such as transporting coal and metals.

KargoBot autonomous trucking operation center. (Photo/KargoBot)

"The demand for this technology is enormous, especially in sectors where human error can lead to costly delays, accidents, and inefficiencies," said Wei.

In heavy industries like mining, labor costs can account for up to 30% of transportation expenses, and human error is responsible for over 90% of accidents. KargoBot's system addresses these issues by enabling one human driver to oversee multiple fully autonomous trucks, cutting labor costs by up to 80% while significantly improving safety by reducing fatigue-related errors.

Targets Western China's rural and suburban markets

KargoBot’s deployment strategy focuses mainly on rural and suburban areas in western China, with less road traffic and greater industrial demand.

"We are conducting trials in places like Erdos, Inner Mongolia, where we're actively testing autonomous trucks for long-haul industrial transport. The more open, less congested roads in these regions provide ideal conditions for advancing autonomous solutions," Wei said.

KargoBot's autonomous trucking transportation. (Photo/KargoBot)

Regarding Chongqing, with its strategic location as a transportation hub for western China and international trade routes, Wei said it would become a focal point for the firm's expansion and believed that the city’s progressive regulatory stance towards autonomous driving technology offers fertile ground for the company.

"We've begun testing our trucks on roads between Chongqing and Chengdu and aim to expand our regional fleet. The supportive policies from the Chongqing government towards autonomous trucking companies are enabling us to scale our operations," Wei added.

While KargoBot advances in China, the global race to lead the autonomous trucking industry is heating up. "The market for autonomous trucks is as vast as that for passenger vehicles. We believe that within a few years, one or two companies will dominate the autonomous trucking space in China, and we're confident KargoBot will be one of them," Wei stated.

As KargoBot looks to expand both domestically and globally, its innovations in autonomous heavy-duty trucking could redefine the future of industrial transport. With Chongqing emerging as a key testing ground, the city's role in this transformation may prove pivotal.