Driverless electric vehicles transport imported goods across the Vietnam - China border

The experimental driverless electric vehicle will pull a container across the Vietnam-China border, and when in Vietnam, there will be a driver accompanying it.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Quang Hung, Chief of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station, Lang Son, the driverless electric tractor is being tested on the specialized road for transporting goods in the area of ​​landmark 1088/2-1089 (Tan Thanh - Po Chai). Operating hours are from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Hanoi time.

An unmanned electric vehicle (AGV) passes kilometer zero, entering Vietnam. The text on the front of the vehicle reads: Testing unmanned electric vehicles through the Po Chai - Tan Thanh smart border gate. Photo: Hoang Nghia.

These electric vehicles are AGV self-propelled vehicles, equipped with cameras, sensors, and pre-installed navigation systems.

On the evening of November 10, officers and soldiers of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station were present at the scene, guiding AGV vehicles moving from the Vietnam - China border area (km 0) to Bao Nguyen wharf, the largest agricultural product transit point in Lang Son province.

According to the Agriculture and Environment newspaper, the self-driving vehicles move at a higher speed than conventional tractors. When entering Vietnam, the vehicles are accompanied by drivers to check and process distance parameters, stop and park to comply with inspection procedures at the border gate, guided by the border guards.

After the vehicle arrived at Bao Nguyen station, border guards from Tan Thanh Border Guard Station and other forces at the border gate area were present to check the vehicle according to regulations.

A driverless electric vehicle pulling a container into Bao Nguyen wharf, the largest agricultural transit point in Lang Son province at present. Photo: Van Viet.

"To implement the policy of piloting smart border gates and developing the local economy, officers and soldiers of the station and functional forces have arranged personnel to ensure security and safety for the pilot operation of smart, driverless container trucks at night, while ensuring security and order and protecting the border in the border gate area," said Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Quang Hung.

According to the commander of Tan Thanh border post, due to the small number of soldiers and having to take on many tasks, some officers took the opportunity to eat boxed lunches and then go to the military area.

However, the Party Committee and command of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station regularly encourage and do a good job of ideological work with officers and soldiers, to unite and have the highest determination to complete the task.

The leader of the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board said that Vietnam's first "smart border gate" model is being piloted in Lang Son with a total budget of nearly VND8,000 billion, implemented in two phases. The infrastructure construction phase is from the third quarter of 2024 to the end of the second quarter of 2026, and the pilot phase is from the third quarter of 2026 to the end of the third quarter of 2029.

Vietnamese authorities inspect goods inside a container transported by a smart, self-driving electric vehicle. Photo: Van Viet.

Previously, on October 30, the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone held talks with the People's Government Delegation of Bang Tuong town.

Pilot implementation of unmanned vehicles (AGV) for night customs clearance on the dedicated freight transport road in the area of ​​landmark 1088/2-1089 Tan Thanh - Po Chai, specifically: pilot implementation time from 18:30 - 20:00 every day, for 01 month, expected to start in November 2025.

Chinese AGV vehicles clearing customs at night must still carry out relevant procedures when entering Vietnam according to regulations currently applied to vehicles carrying normal imported goods.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/xe-dien-khong-nguoi-lai-cho-hang-nhap-khau-qua-bien-gioi-viet--trung-d783525.html