Shenzhen unmanned sanitation equipment penetration rate approaches 10%

According to the New Strategy Low-Speed Automated Driving Industry Research Institute, Shenzhen currently has approximately 4,500 various types of urban sanitation vehicles. Based on the latest data released by Shenzhen on the deployment of unmanned sanitation vehicles, the city’s unmanned sanitation equipment penetration rate approaches 10%.

Recent data shows that Shenzhen’s functional unmanned vehicles completed over one million fresh food delivery orders for the first time in September, reaching 1.02 million, a 13% month-over-month increase. The estimated commercial value generated was 8.7 million yuan, a 14.5% month-over-month increase. This breakthrough signals that Shenzhen’s functional unmanned vehicle industry is rapidly transitioning from the demonstration operation stage to large-scale commercial application.

In terms of the supporting industrial environment, Shenzhen continues to make progress in opening up right-of-way routes. Currently, 1,257 right-of-way routes have been opened across the city, totaling 3,581 kilometers, a 12.4% month-over-month increase. In September alone, 19 new routes, totaling 396 kilometers, were opened. In terms of operational fleet size, the city has a total of 798 functional unmanned vehicles in operation, with 32 new units added in September, a 4.5% month-over-month increase. There are 655 vehicles in actual online operation, including 332 unmanned logistics vehicles and 323 unmanned sanitation vehicles.

Amid this overall boom, the unmanned sanitation sector has performed particularly well.

In September, Shenzhen added 18 unmanned sanitation vehicles, a 5.2% month-on-month increase, outpacing the 3.3% growth rate for unmanned logistics vehicles.

Although Shenzhen’s unmanned sanitation vehicles currently outnumber unmanned logistics vehicles, the growth potential and strategic significance of the sanitation sector are rapidly expanding.

Unmanned sanitation vehicles shoulder a high-level mission: building “smart cities” and “beautiful China.” They are a core component of refined urban management and digital governance systems, directly impacting the quality of urban operations and the quality of life for residents.

With continuous breakthroughs in AI, perception algorithms, and environmental modeling, unmanned sanitation vehicles are moving from pilot demonstrations to full coverage. The vast market potential and diverse application scenarios have attracted numerous companies and research institutions to invest. However, the complexity of sanitation scenarios far exceeds that of closed logistics routes. Irregular roads, dynamic pedestrians and obstacles, extreme weather conditions, and the shifting day and night cycles all place higher demands on the robustness and environmental adaptability of unmanned systems’ algorithms.

How can AI be made smarter, more efficient, and safer in sanitation scenarios? How can it achieve long-term stable operation in unstructured environments? These are the common challenges the industry must currently confront.

It is against this backdrop that Shenzhen has decided to seize this opportunity and host the “2025 Shenzhen International Artificial Intelligence Sanitation Robot Competition-cum-Application Innovation Competition” to further stimulate innovation, overcome technical bottlenecks, and cultivate industry talent.

The competition is co-organized by Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement, Industry and Information Technology Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Bureau, Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau, Shenzhen Municipal Small and Medium Enterprises Service Bureau, and Longgang District People’s Government of Shenzhen, with the support of Low-Speed Automated Driving Industry Alliance.