Autonomous no-driver coaches developed by Zonson Smart Auto of Jinwan District helped transport daily necessities to locked-down areas in Guangzhou's Liwan District during the recent COVID-19 resurgence.

Many Liwan residents had been quarantined at home between May 31 and June 18 at which time Zhongnan Sub-district's risk level was graded as high-risk. Early on, Zonson was asked by the Guangzhou Municipal Industry & Information Technology and Commerce bureaus to safely make deliveries. The company's Wukong (Walking) coaches were soon permitted to enter high-risk areas such as Hainan and Haizhong villages in the sub-district. 

Wukong (Walking) autonomous driving coach [Photo by Zhang Zhou / Guanhai App]

Wukong is 5.5 m (18 ft) long, 2.6 m (8.5 ft) high, and has a spacious interior for passengers and cargo. The vehicle has no accelerator, brake pedal, or steering wheel, yet follows prescribed routes relying on 5G and strong algorithm support.

Above all, it eliminates the need for person-to-person contact, thus reducing the risk of cross infection, according to Meng Shuxing, general manager of intelligent connected products at the company. The vehicles had traveled more than 200 km (124 miles) and helped deliver 10 tons of daily necessities during the quarantine period.

Founded in 2015, Zonson is a subsidiary of ZTE, Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment, which built Zhongxing Intelligent Vehicle Manufacturing Base in South Dingjia Bay of Jinwan District, Zhuhai, in 2017. Zonson designs, develops, produces, and sells new-energy buses and develops intelligent-driving and internet-of-vehicle applications.

Wukong is a flagship product of Zhuhai's "smart" manufacturing. In addition to aiding in the fight against the epidemic, other models of autonomous driving coaches in the Wukong series have helped promote Shenzhen Lianhuashan (Lotus Hill) Park. Zonson will further optimize its autonomous driving technology and assume greater social responsibility, said Meng.