Introduction

Today, the Shenzhen Intelligent Connected Transportation Association released its February operational report on autonomous vehicles, packed with compelling data that leaves readers astounded: “Wow!”

Throughout February, 1,158 autonomous vehicles navigated Shenzhen’s streets, covering a total of 118,000 kilometers and delivering 2.01 million packages and fresh goods, with express deliveries accounting for 1.86 million orders!

More critically, this report highlights not just the ability to complete tasks, but to do so effectively and in compliance with regulations:

The operational compliance rate rose to 96.2%, with comprehensive oversight on vehicle identification, insurance, and other aspects. In response to public feedback regarding issues like parking spot planning and road construction triggering escape modes, relevant companies promptly addressed and rectified these concerns, demonstrating sustained effectiveness in standardized management.

The WeChat official account Autonomous Vehicles Are Here believes that behind these dry numbers lies the story of how a megacity uses rationality and technology to build an efficient and safe smart logistics network.

Autonomous Vehicles Are Here wants to discuss this with everyone!

(For further reading, please click: ‘Shenzhen’s Functional Autonomous Vehicle January 2026 Report: 1,168 Units, 2.42 Million Monthly Deliveries, Over 30 Enterprises and Universities Co-found the ‘Shenzhen Autonomous Driving Safety Laboratory’)

I. Spring Festival Challenge: KPIs and the Human Touch of 1,158 ‘Steel Couriers’

The first key takeaway from the February report is that autonomous vehicles have passed the ‘Spring Festival Peak’ practical test, transitioning from ‘tech exhibits’ to ‘reliable logistics capacity.’

1. Numbers Don’t Lie: The Commercial Value and Cost Accounting Behind 2.01 Million Orders

During the Spring Festival, a typical decline in demand was observed, yet the autonomous vehicle fleet completed 2.01 million deliveries. Let’s analyze two sets of numbers:

Economic Account:

The report estimates that this generated approximately RMB 16.52 million in autonomous delivery output value and saved about RMB 1.95 million in comprehensive social costs.

Where did these cost savings come from? Primarily from directly filling labor shortages.

When labor costs soar (triple wages) and become scarce during holidays, autonomous vehicles’ ability to operate 24/7 with stable performance results in extremely low marginal costs.

This proves that for specific periods, the economic model of autonomous delivery is not only viable but clearly advantageous.

Efficiency Account:

1,158 vehicles, 118,000 kilometers, with an average daily operational duration of 7.7 hours per vehicle. This ‘machine efficiency’ is impressive.

Leading player Neolix’s 362 vehicles covered 88,000 kilometers, Idriverplus’s 138 vehicles covered 21,000 kilometers, and Meituan’s 138 vehicles covered 76,000 kilometers, demonstrating that top players have achieved effective operational management of their fleets, not just for show.

(For further reading, please click: ‘Shenzhen: Fully Committed to Building a Functional Autonomous Vehicle Application Model! Over 1,000 Vehicles, 8,000+ Kilometers of Operational Routes, Monthly Deliveries Exceeding 2.4 Million’)

2. Human Touch Is the Greatest Technology: Letting Workers Reunite in Peace

The most touching line in the report is: “Let workers enjoy peaceful reunions with their families.”

This is no empty slogan.

Autonomous vehicles shouldering some delivery tasks during the Spring Festival directly alleviated pressure on remaining couriers and allowed more to confidently return home for the holiday.

Here, technology’s value is not cold substitution but warm supplementation and empowerment. It safeguards not just logistics flow but also the fundamental right of ordinary workers to return home for the holiday.

This ‘human touch’ forms the emotional foundation for technology to truly integrate into cities and gain public acceptance.

II. Expanding ‘Capillaries’: A 9,159-Kilometer Road Network and 96.2% Compliance Rate

If order volume proves ‘usefulness,’ then road network expansion and compliance data prove ‘usability’ and ‘ease of use.’

Shenzhen is weaving an increasingly dense legal operational network for autonomous vehicles.

1. Explosive Road Network Growth: From ‘Lines’ to ‘Nets’

As of February, Shenzhen has opened 2,201 routes for autonomous vehicles, with total mileage exceeding 9,159 kilometers, a 14% increase (1,096 kilometers) in just one month.

What does this mean?

It’s equivalent to laying a ‘ground-based rail transit network’ exclusively for autonomous vehicles across Shenzhen’s nearly 2,000 square kilometers—denser than many cities’ subway networks.

Longgang District is the ‘infrastructure enthusiast’: accounting for 4,113 kilometers of routes, with 566 kilometers added in February alone, truly deserving the title of the ‘special zone within the special zone’ for autonomous vehicle road rights.

From ‘pilot points’ to ‘full penetration’: Route density (kilometers per square kilometer) shows Longgang (10.6), Pingshan (7.6), and Nanshan (3.7) as the densest central districts, meaning autonomous vehicles now penetrate core urban areas, coexisting with the most complex pedestrian and vehicle flows. Meanwhile, Bao’an and Longgang have the highest absolute mileage, indicating broad coverage in industrial and residential zones.

The denser this network becomes, the more places autonomous vehicles can reach, and the higher their commercial value ceiling.

(For further reading, please click: ‘Neolix Autonomous Vehicles ‘Never Close for Spring Festival’: The ‘Shenzhen Model’ Behind 8.66 Million Orders Unlocks New Paradigms for Peak New Year Goods Delivery!’)

2. Steady Rules Enable Far-Reaching Operations: The Secret Behind 96.2% Compliance

More important than covering distance is operating steadily and safely.

The operational compliance rate soared from January’s 90.2% to 96.2%, a qualitative leap. How was this achieved?

‘Sky Net’ Monitoring: All data connects to the ‘Shenzhen Intelligent Connected Vehicle Government Supervision Platform,’ with every vehicle under ‘God’s-eye view’ supervision, leaving no room for violations.

Full Insurance and Identification Coverage: Vehicle compliance reaches 99.9%, with 100% pass rate in insurance verification. This means every vehicle on the road has a ‘safety belt’ and backup in case of incidents. The only non-compliance was one vehicle missing a customer service hotline sticker—attention to such details leaves no loopholes.

Rapid Response Mechanism: February saw only 30 public complaints (down 57% month-on-month), mainly concerning autonomous vehicle parking spot planning and road construction impacts. The report explicitly states that relevant companies (Neolix, Idriverplus, etc.) promptly addressed these issues.

This ‘identify-correct’ closed loop is key to boosting compliance and ensures public complaints are resolved, enhancing social trust.

III. Player Rankings: Who’s ‘Racing’ Through Shenzhen’s Streets?

The monthly report also serves as an excellent ‘industry competitive landscape analysis.’

1. Vehicle Scale Leaders: Neolix vs. Idriverplus

Neolix dominates with 362 units in inventory and 88,000 kilometers driven in February, showcasing its ‘top dog’ dominance.

Idriverplus Autonomous Vehicles represent the biggest variable, maintaining vehicle numbers in February but only covering 22,000 kilometers, suggesting many new vehicles may be in testing or ramp-up phases. Future operational efficiency will be a key focus.

2. Operational Efficiency Benchmarks: Meituan vs. JD.com

Meituan achieved an astonishing 76,000 kilometers with 138 vehicles, demonstrating remarkable per-vehicle efficiency. Its vehicles boasted a 92% online rate, reflecting a highly mature and stable operational system.

JD.com, though operating only 44 vehicles, averaged 11.4 daily operational hours per vehicle—the most ‘hardworking’ among all companies—likely tied to its internal closed-loop logistics model from warehouses to stations to communities.

3. Safety Leaders: Zero-Accident Club

In traffic accident statistics, Baimeituan, Minieye, Idriverplus, and Cainiao maintained zero-accident records in February (whether primarily or secondarily responsible). Achieving this in complex urban road conditions deserves special respect.

Safety is the ‘1’—everything else is ‘0’s after it. This principle holds ironclad in autonomous driving.

IV. Sobering Observations: Challenges Beneath the Prosperity and the Future

While celebrating achievements, the report objectively reflects challenges.

1. Spring Festival ‘Filter’ vs. Real Demand

Total autonomous delivery volume dropped 17% month-on-month in February, expected due to the holiday.

However, this reminds us: How can autonomous vehicles continuously prove their value during off-peak periods? As labor supplements or as main forces in specific scenarios (e.g., nights, extreme weather, peaks)? Business models require more comprehensive cyclical validation.

2. Long-Tail Issues: From ‘Operating’ to ‘Integrating’

Top three public complaints: Unreasonable parking spot planning (5 cases), traffic disruptions from escape modes due to road construction (4 cases), and overly conservative technical strategies affecting other vehicles (3 cases).

These issues aren’t technical flaws but ‘soft frictions’ arising from deep integration between vehicles, cities, and people.

Resolving them requires smarter urban planning (reserving autonomous vehicle loading/unloading zones), more flexible technical strategies (balancing safety and efficiency), and broader public communication.

This is more complex—and important—than solving an algorithmic challenge.

3. Future: From ‘Logistics Network’ to ‘Urban Robot Network’

Currently, Shenzhen’s autonomous vehicles focus on logistics (750 units) and sanitation (405 units), with only 3 inspection vehicles.

However, once this 9,159-kilometer compliant road network is complete, it becomes a new type of urban infrastructure.

In the future, various ‘urban service robots’—for inspection, security, retail, emergency response—could all connect to this network.

Today’s delivery vehicles transport packages; tomorrow, their sensors could serve as the city’s ‘nerve endings,’ continuously sensing street temperatures, safety, and operational status.

In short, Autonomous Vehicles Are Here believes:

Shenzhen’s February report represents an excellent ‘mid-term exam score’ for China’s autonomous driving industry in specific domains (functional, low-speed) moving toward scale, commercialization, and standardization.

It doesn’t tell far-fetched sci-fi stories but uses solid numbers like 1,158, 2.01 million, 96.2%, and 9,159 to outline a future already unfolding.

What do you think, dear reader?

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