Mass production of JD’s last-mile delivery robots is imminent! On the afternoon of June 5, JD Group signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Shanghai STEP Electric Co., Ltd. Under the agreement, the two parties will leverage their respective strengths to engage in strategic cooperation in the smart logistics industry, accelerating the deployment and application of intelligent logistics equipment and service robots—particularly focusing on in-depth collaboration in the mass production of intelligent robots, especially last-mile delivery robots.

▲ JD.com Signs a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement with STEP

The signing of the agreement will facilitate the large-scale, mass production of JD’s last-mile delivery robots, meeting the growing demand for widespread deployment of delivery robots within JD’s future smart logistics ecosystem and helping to solve the “last-mile” delivery challenge in urban areas. Attending the signing ceremony were Ji Yi, Chairman of Shanghai STEP Electric Co., Ltd.; Cai Liang, President of the company; Wang Shihai, Executive Director of CITIC Innovation Fund Investment Management Co., Ltd.; Tian Yongxin, President of Shanghai Xia’ao Xiangrong Automotive Industry Equipment Co., Ltd.; Xiao Jun, Vice President of JD Group and President of the X Business Unit; and Yang Jing, General Manager of the Autonomous Driving Center of JD Group’s X Business Unit.

Launch the mass production process for delivery robots and enable seamless interaction between robots and elevators.

As a technology-driven enterprise, JD.com is actively developing smart logistics and intelligent supply chain systems through the comprehensive application of artificial intelligence technologies. In particular, in the field of smart logistics, a series of intelligent robots—including autonomous vehicles, drones, and unmanned warehouses—developed by JD.com’s X Business Unit have become key initiatives for building a smart logistics ecosystem and promoting the large-scale adoption of robotics. Specifically regarding delivery robots, since last year’s 618 shopping festival, JD.com has already launched regular operations at numerous universities and industrial parks. During this year’s 618 festival, JD.com will soon establish entirely new operational scenarios around the Zhongguancun Software Park in Haidian District, Beijing, marking the start of regular logistics deliveries in urban road environments.

▲ JD’s last-mile delivery robots are starting to transition from campus and industrial park settings to socially operated services.

As an expert in electrical drives and motion control, and also one of China’s leading companies in the robotics industry, STEP Da focuses its business on areas including robotic and motion control systems, elevator control systems, energy-saving technologies, and industrial drives. Its product portfolio encompasses industrial robots, IoT solutions, and controllers for new-energy vehicles. Currently, the company has established multiple R&D and industrialization bases for robotics, leveraging digitalization, IoT integration, and intelligent technologies to build a highly competitive mass-production advantage in the field of smart manufacturing.

Under the cooperation agreement, JD.com and STEP Automation will leverage their respective strengths in branding, resources, technology, and other areas to achieve complementary advantages. By engaging in strategic cooperation and integrating resources within the smart logistics industry, they will establish a comprehensive logistics ecosystem and accelerate the practical application of intelligent logistics equipment and service robots.

The cooperation between the two parties is primarily focused on two key areas: the manufacturing of intelligent logistics equipment and the interaction between robots and elevators.
On the one hand, JD.com is leveraging STEP strengths in the mobility and robotics sectors—specifically in intelligent manufacturing—to accelerate the mass production and deployment of last-mile delivery robots.
On the other hand, STEP will leverage its strengths in elevator control systems to meet the elevator interaction needs of JD Logistics’ delivery and service robots, jointly driving the development of smarter services for consumers delivered by delivery and service robots.

Currently, delivery robots are primarily used in outdoor environments. However, if we want to deliver orders directly to users’ doorsteps, delivery robots will need to learn a new “elevator language” that enables them to communicate effectively with elevators. When a delivery robot approaches an elevator, the elevator will recognize that it’s about to take the ride and even know which floor the robot is headed to. As a result, the robot won’t need to press any buttons—instead, the elevator will automatically open its doors and select the correct floor. The service robots launched by JD.com in 2017 already possess this capability. With the strategic partnership between JD.com and STEP, the two companies will also embark on deeper research and exploration into robot-elevator interaction technologies. This will provide mature and reliable technical solutions that enable delivery robots to navigate buildings more smoothly, ultimately delivering a better shopping experience for users.

Continuously promote the large-scale application of technology, making it the cornerstone of future logistics and delivery.

At the recently held 618 JD CUBE Conference, JD.com announced its intention to leverage technology to expand service horizons in the era of borderless retail, thereby accelerating JD.com’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top five smart, innovation-driven enterprises within three years in terms of robotics production value, R&D, and application scale. This will broaden the application scenarios for intelligent robots and drive a comprehensive提升 in social efficiency. JD.com has partnered with STEP, marking another step forward in JD.com’s efforts to speed up the implementation of unmanned technology innovations.

As an important component of the smart logistics system, JD’s last-mile delivery robots have already taken the lead in China in terms of both technological and scenario validation. With the early mass production of these delivery robots in China, it will not only enhance the logistics experience for consumers at the last mile, expand the reach of delivery robots to a broader population, and help solve the “last-mile” delivery challenge in urban areas, but also drive down the costs of delivery robots, paving the way for their large-scale deployment in the future. Together with human delivery personnel, delivery robots will form the “perfect partnership,” enabling faster delivery services and improving operational efficiency to meet the rapid growth of JD’s business.

“JD.com has already built up tremendous technological momentum in the retail and logistics sectors. As more robots enter mass production and deployment, we will develop even more sophisticated technological solutions and replicable business models, driving the integration of unmanned and intelligent equipment into every stage of JD.com’s logistics and delivery operations—and making technology the cornerstone of future logistics and delivery,” said Xiao Jun, Vice President of JD.com Group and President of the X Business Unit. In the future, smart logistics robots, autonomous vehicles, drones, and other intelligent devices will be rapidly deployed across more areas of JD.com’s logistics, warehousing, and delivery processes, and their large-scale application will continue to accelerate.

In collaboration, we embrace openness and empower more partners. In the future, JD.com will not only see large-scale adoption of robotic products but will also offer a broader range of robotic technology application solutions. By leveraging smart devices, we’ll significantly reduce costs and boost efficiency, bringing about qualitative improvements in user experience and creating greater value to accelerate the arrival of the borderless retail era.

Email:
market@stepelectric.com

Address:
No. 1560, Siyi Road, Jiading District, Shanghai Municipality