He Xing, vice president of Pony.ai and head of its robotruck business, said road freight is a market worth at least RMB 1 trillion (USD 147.9 billion), meaning that capturing even a small share could generate substantial economic value.
The freight industry also faces persistent problems, including a high rate of truck accidents, elevated operating costs, and a shortage of drivers. He said autonomous driving also pairs well with electric heavy- and light-duty trucks, potentially reducing energy use and emissions.
Pony.ai sees substantial overlap between robotrucks and robotaxis despite the freight market’s distinct applications. The two businesses can share resources across four areas critical to large-scale deployment: technology development, operations, regulation, and the broader industrial ecosystem.
He described robotrucks as an application of physical artificial intelligence, in which AI controls machines operating in the physical world. Their purpose is to transport goods while reducing the cost per ton-kilometer, or the cost of moving one metric ton of freight per kilometer.
“A truck is a physical transportation platform, and it uses the most advanced AI technology to achieve the goal of lowering costs,” He said.
