A novel supply chain waddles underground
Shenzhen’s Line 2 — among the busiest in the city — is now shared with 41 autonomous delivery bots operated by VX Logistics, a Vanke-owned arm partly held by Shenzhen Metro .
Shenzhen’s Line 2 — among the busiest in the city — is now shared with 41 autonomous delivery bots.,These penguin‑like robots, dodge platform gaps, navigate elevators, and board carriages during off‑peak hours.
These penguin‑like robots, complete with LED ‘faces’, navigate platform gaps, elevators, crowds and board carriages during off‑peak hours, and deliver directly to 7‑Eleven stores spread across more than 100 station outlets .
Equipped with panoramic LiDAR and AI routing systems, they make real‑time decisions based on order volume, train schedules, store location, and footfall . As Hou Shangjie, VX’s head of automation, put it:
“They are specially designed with unique chassis systems that allow them to cross gaps to enter lifts and carriages…They will continue to iterate based on real‑world performance”
“They are specially designed with unique chassis systems that allow them to cross gaps to enter lifts and carriages…They will continue to iterate based on real‑world performance”
Solving the underground logistics puzzle
For station-based convenience retailers, delivering goods used to require street-level carts lugged through busy entrances — a time-consuming, peak-hour challenge. Li Yanyan, manager at a participating 7‑Eleven, explained: “In the past, delivery workers had to park above ground, unload goods, and manually push them into subway stations. Now, with robots, it’s much easier and more convenient”
Enjoying this? Get more in your inbox.
Weekly AI news & insights from Asia.
The bots presently operate outside rush hours, tapping into unused capacity in trains to reduce surface traffic, lower labour overhead and speed deliveries . Distributing around 41 bots suffices to meet peak restock demands for all participating stores, particularly in a system that ferries around nine million passengers daily.
Robotics meets smart‑city ambition
This pilot links with Shenzhen’s “Embodied Intelligent Robot Action Plan” unveiled in March, which targets widespread deployment of service and industrial robots by 2027 . With over 1,600 robotics firms, the city is positioned as a public‑space automation testbed.
National policy also encourages robots in roles from eldercare to hazardous‑environment inspection — blending human labour with mechanised efficiency . For VX Logistics, this is a stepping‑stone to creating a “flexible delivery artery” that extends across metro networks, linking upriver transport modes with automated subsurface logistics.
Next stops: parcels, pharmacy, patient care?
If the trial succeeds, the model could scale beyond snacks to parcels, cleaning supplies — even medical deliveries. Its significance lies in pioneering automation not just at street level, but mid‑route via public transit.
As Li Yanyan observed, tasks once tedious for humans have now become “a routine hop on and off the train” .
As Li Yanyan observed, tasks once tedious for humans have now become “a routine hop on and off the train” .
Foreign observers have noted that this system signals a broader shift — from robots in factories to assistants in everyday life . Soon, commuters in other cities might also share their ride with these fetching, friendly machines.
What it all means
Urban efficiency: The project eases surface‑traffic congestion, optimises underground spaces and trims delivery costs.,Automation in action: Shenzhen showcases a fully integrated, multimodal logistics network that merges AI, infrastructure and public services. Scalability tested: Future iterations may carry mixed parcels and connect with freight systems — framing metro lines as logistical arteries, not just passenger routes.
As robotic supply chains glide through underground rails, we edge closer to a future where public transport is as much a delivery network as a commuting network. Would you feel comfortable sharing your train with a bot that's restocking your local store?
Latest Comments (4)
Wah, these penguin robots in Shenzhen sound like something out of a sci-fi flick! Very clever lah, using the subway to streamline deliveries. I'm curious though, how do they handle the notorious peak-hour crush? Even with dedicated carriages, a human passenger getting in the way seems inevitable. And what about security for the goods they're ferrying? Here in Singapore, we’re all for efficiency, but I can imagine folks having a field day trying to swipe something if those robots are left unattended, even for a moment. Still, a fascinating development for urban logistics!
This is quite brilliant! Seeing Shenzhen leverage such ingenious solutions for middle mile delivery, especially with those adorable penguin robots, truly shows how forward thinking they are. It’s a definite step up for urban logistics, easing up on traffic whilst keeping things efficient. A real game changer, wouldn't you say?
Wow, this is proper futuristic stuff! Shenzhen truly is a pioneer. Seeing these penguin bots navigate the MRT would be quite a sight, a far cry from our usual delivery riders stuck in traffic. This could really ease up our city jams too, lah. Top notch innovation!
This is quite fascinating, how Shenzhen is using those penguin robots in the subway! It really makes you think about the future of logistics, especially in densely populated cities like ours. Here in India, particularly in places like Mumbai or Delhi, our urban centers are constantly battling traffic snarls. Imagine the sheer efficiency if we could implement something similar for middle-mile delivery, taking a load off our already overstressed surface transport. I wonder about the infrastructure and regulatory hurdles, though. Our metro systems are already jam-packed during peak hours – fitting in robots might be a trickier proposition than in a purpose-built system. Still, the fundamental idea of leveraging underground networks for automated delivery is brilliant. It’s certainly a development worth watching closely, could be a real game-changer for urban planning and commerce.
Leave a Comment