Driverless AI semi moves container at Gaolan Port

Under the gaze of hundreds of witnesses, and for the first time throughout the world, an unmanned semi transported a container from the Zhuhai International Container Terminal stocking area to a gantry crane at Gaolan Port on Jan 23.

The artificial intelligence tractor-trailer truck developed by Zhuhai Port Holdings Group and Westwell Lab (Xijing Technology) made its inaugural run on the peninsular located south of Pingsha and southwest of Zhuhai Jinwan Airport.

With no one at the wheel, it automatically identified and avoided nearby containers, mechanical equipment, lighthouses, and other objects as it drove precisely to the targeted destination.

The short ride marked a significant breakthrough by Chinese enterprises in utilizing AI technologies to propel innovation-driven development of the country’s port industry, industry insiders say.

AI-driven rig at Gaolan Port

Westwell Lab is a Shanghai-based AI chipmaker start-up specialized in neuromorphic engineering. It had previously developed the world’s first set of brain-inspired "smart" port systems, WellOcean, which has been adopted by many wharfs for "smart" tallies and "smart" gatehouses.

The company says that by simulating the working mechanisms of "high efficiency and low energy" of the human brain, its technology enables the system to rapidly identify the container just as a person would. By adopting multi-sensor fusion technology, it helped the container truck recognize typical obstacles and signage systems.

The 18-wheeler can choose the best route and automatically deal with emergencies by slowing down, braking, or taking a detour. It relies on Westwell's self-developed AI chip and intelligent decisionmaking algorithm.

After more than six months of engineering optimization and close beta testing, the AI container truck now can drive about safely and efficiently before pulling into loading and unloading bays with an accuracy level of two cm.

The cooperation between Zhuhai Port and Westwell Lab is an attempt to realize a port that's small but "smart". In the future, the port will be further automated as both companies continue to explore interactions between humans and vehicles, and among hoisting machineries, a spokesperson said.

Truck avoids barriers by itself [Photos by Zhang Zhou / Zhuhai Daily]