DeepRoute.ai Uses Autonomous Trucks to Combat Omicron Variant in Shenzhen

Following a recent outbreak of the COVID-19 variant Omicron in Shenzhen, China, autonomous driving technology company DeepRoute.ai mobilized two medium-duty trucks with level-4 autonomous driving capabilities to deliver goods to facilities into the affected area, supporting local communities and medical staff.

This is the first official deployment of DeepRoute.ai’s trucks in downtown Shenzhen. It started on the evening of February 24, and the next day a single truck delivered over 500 boxes of items, including approximately 10,000 face shields, 80,000 masks, 30,000 surgical gloves, 3,000 protective garments, 10,000 alcohol disinfectants and other goods to the Shatou area of the city’s Futian District. DeepRoute.ai will continue to service 12 community stations for at least 14 days, operating on standby from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“After being made aware of the resource and manpower shortage in the region, our team immediately executed a plan to transport necessities with our self-driving vehicles, and we were honored to do so,” said Maxwell Zhou, CEO of DeepRoute.ai. “This project demonstrates the value of autonomous driving technology during emergency situations, providing urban deliveries efficiently and tirelessly, and supplementing a shortage of labor.”

During a similar outbreak in June 2021, DeepRoute.ai Robotaxis, or DeepRoute-INJOY, transported the COVID-19 test samples of approximately 30,000 individuals per day to local hospitals, allowing for quick results with minimal human interaction required. DeepRoute.ai also launched DeepRoute-LINK, the medium-duty truck business line, several months later in September.

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Retrofitted with LiDar sensors, cameras, millimeter wave radars, GNSS and other sensors, DeepRoute.ai’s medium-duty trucks maneuver safely and efficiently on complicated urban roads, demonstrating the strength of the proprietary early fusion algorithms, inference engines, and excellent planning and control algorithms. DeepRoute.ai expects to implement the trucks for several projects this year, beginning with commercialization of urban logistics in China.

DeepRoute.ai is the first company to be granted a permit for operating robotaxis in the Central Business District of downtown Shenzhen, currently servicing over 100 pick-up and drop-off points.