GoGoVan CEO says whoever adopts autonomous vehicle technology first will dominate logistics
Autonomous driving technology will enable more efficient and affordable delivery of goods
As autonomous vehicle technology becomes more advanced, the first company to adopt it successfully has the potential to dominate the logistics market, according to a top executive from Hong Kong logistics start-up GoGoVan.
“[A company like] Google’s Waymo has very mature [autonomous] technology already,” said Steven Lam, chief executive of GoGoVan in a panel discussion at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. “Whoever can adopt autonomous technology first will be the winner [in logistics].”
Lam likened the arrival of autonomous driving technology to how cars displaced horse carriages as a mode of transport in the 20th century, and pointed out that although such technology is still hindered by policy, it will allow more efficient and affordable delivery of goods – whether intra- or inter-city when it becomes mainstream.
He dismissed the notion that such technology will cause drivers for companies like GoGoVan to lose their jobs, pointing out that autonomous technology will also create opportunities that humans can align with.
“We need to evolve ourselves with new tools, we need to adapt,” Lam said.