There is Pininfarina’s touch on the new Xingtu, a gigantic electric truck with something like 11 onboard cameras, an infrared detector, millimeter wave radar and a Lidar sensor, thus achieving the goal of full autonomous driving and detection of an ultra long range of over 1 kilometer. A kind of technological first, but there is more: this is also the first electric truck in the world fully developed in China, designed to be immediately suitable for autonomous driving.
Built by DeepWay (it says little to us but it is a giant that is part of the Chinese group Baidu), the Xingtu aims to revolutionize the world of heavy transport: “To achieve commercial success, autonomous driving must use advanced technology that creates new products. able to offer the best possible experience, “explains Yunpeng Wang, Vice President and General Manager of Autonomous Driving Technology at Baidu. “We aim to create value in real-life scenarios such as passenger transport, deliveries and services for life. This new generation of vehicles is by no means just a modified truck, it is a robot truck.” Certainly for Pininfarina the trust of DeepWay is a great step forward on the international scene. “Being supported by Baidu and LionBridge offers DeepWay – Simone Tassi, General Manager of Pininfarina Shanghai proudly says during the presentation – an intrinsic advantage in autonomous driving technology, freight transport and logistics, together with a team of experienced professionals. Pininfarina, in its over 90 years of history, has created timeless beauty through its values of elegance, purity and innovation. The two parties have come together to create a truck model with pure lines, futuristic and technological, marking a significant milestone for both companies “.
While self-driving cars offer a lot more comfort, unmanned trucks could be a breakthrough in helping your daily work safely. But let’s talk about design. Where is the Pininfarina touch? In a very sophisticated design where efficiency and aerodynamics work together to create a unique external shape. Not to mention the work on the interiors that integrate all the new technologies into a modern space.
From a technical point of view, the DeepWay Xingtu is equipped with DeepWay’s Highway Intelligence System (HIS) based on Baidu’s autonomous driving technology. Equipped with 11 onboard cameras, 1 infrared detector, millimeter wave radar and a LIDAR sensor, along with advanced algorithms, DeepWay Xingtu enables complete autonomous driving – from detection to execution – in 100 milliseconds, as well as detection of a beam ultra long of over 1 kilometer.
And this translates into greater efficiency for freight drivers. Suffice it to say that simulation tests with the China Automobile Research Institute showed a wind resistance coefficient of 0.35, which effectively reduces the overall energy consumption. With a full load of 49 tons, the 450 kWh battery developed specifically for Xingtu guarantees a range of up to 300 km and can be recharged in just one hour. In addition, DeepWay has also developed a quick battery replacement solution: in six minutes the truck can receive a new fully loaded package. All of this can reduce energy, maintenance and operating costs, as well as transport times.
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