Inceptio self-driving trucks set accident-free record in China

Chinese self-driving startup Inceptio Technology said its trucks have clocked 100 million accident-free kilometers, a record for the autonomous driving long-haul logistics industry.

The company’s proprietary system covers 83% of China’s national highways. A total of 1,864 drivers operating level 2+ and level 3 self-driving heavy-duty trucks contributed to the milestone, Inceptio said in a statement.

Autonomous driving is categorized into different levels depending on how much human involvement there is. Level 2 and level 3 vehicles can perform driving tasks and navigation but human override is still required, while level 4 and above are considered fully driverless.

“We have made some initial success in the China market,” Inceptio Chief Executive Officer Julian Ma said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday. “By the end of April, the commercial mileage of all Inceptio-powered heavy duty trucks has exceeded 100 million kilometers. This is by far the largest commercial deployment of autonomous trucks worldwide.”

There haven’t been any accidents, according to the company.

Many long-haul trucking routes range between 1,000 kilometers and 1,500 kilometers. Inceptio’s system can cover 90% to 99% of that, Ma said, with drivers needing to take over only the remaining 1% to 10%. 

The company counts among its customers some of China’s largest logistics companies, including ZTO Express and SF Express, as well as consumer goods brands like Budweiser and Nestle. It’s looking to expand internationally, with its sights on markets including Japan, Brazil, Europe and the Middle East, Ma said.

Inceptio is working to incorporate AI into its technology to come up with faster, intelligent driving responses. It has expanded its automaker partners to include Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group and Foton Motor Co., he said.