China accelerates AI integration with transportation Autonomous new energy mine trucks work in an open mine in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/He Long) From autonomous vehicles navigating city streets and drones conducting inspections to robots sorting parcels at delivery centers, China is accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the transportation sector, opening up new applications across roads, railways, aviation, ports and postal services. From intelligent driving and smart highways to automated sorting and drone-based inspections, AI is increasingly being deployed to improve transport efficiency, safety and services. In June, China's Ministry of Transport, together with four other government departments, issued an action plan for innovation in typical application scenarios of "AI + transportation." The plan envisages that by 2030, a new wave of infrastructure, technical equipment, service models, and industrial forms driven by "AI + transportation" will emerge. How will innovation in these application scenarios be advanced? And how can AI help drive high-quality development in transportation? People's Daily spoke with officials and industry experts. On the Beijing-Xiong'an Expressway, AI-powered technologies are becoming part of the driving experience throughout the one-hour journey. A dedicated mini program provides drivers with real-time traffic updates. Smart roadside poles flash yellow in heavy fog, helping drivers identify their position on the road. At toll stations, robots dispense tickets automatically, helping shorten waiting times. "Through cooperation with Baidu AI Cloud and leveraging large-scale AI models, the Beijing-Xiong'an Expressway achieves second-level alert push and one-click notification for abnormal incidents, with an accuracy rate of over 95 percent in identifying emergencies," said an executive from Hebei Expressway Group, which manages the expressway. As roads become smarter, vehicles are becoming more intelligent, too. "In recent years, we have accelerated the integration of AI with transportation, focusing on infrastructure, vehicles and equipment, transport services and