{"id":28060,"date":"2026-10-27T08:35:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T02:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=28060"},"modified":"2026-10-27T08:35:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T02:50:53","slug":"china-expands-smart-technology-across-its-transport-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=28060","title":{"rendered":"China Expands Smart Technology Across Its Transport Network<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dragon Media News Desk<\/strong><\/p>\n

China is expanding the use of artificial intelligence, drones, the BeiDou satellite navigation system and digital models to improve the operation and maintenance of highways, bridges and ports.<\/p>\n

At the Guandu Yellow River Bridge in central China\u2019s Henan Province, a smart operations system monitors the busy, eight-lane crossing. The bridge opened in 2019, and a dedicated drone inspection team was established in March 2025 to strengthen maintenance and safety management.<\/p>\n

Multirotor drones inspect the bridge surface, check hazards and create three-dimensional models. Fixed-wing drones can cover an area within a 35-kilometre radius on a single flight, supporting longer-distance highway patrols. Together with road administration teams on the ground, the drones form an around-the-clock monitoring system.<\/p>\n

A digital twin of the bridge reproduces its deck, guardrails, piers and other structures in a virtual environment. Radar and vision equipment can detect illegal parking, structural abnormalities and other risks at night or in fog. When the system identifies a hazard, it marks the precise location on the digital model and sends an alert to the relevant team.<\/p>\n

Shan Fei, general manager of the Henan Transportation Development Research Institute, said the province had completed digital data collection and three-dimensional mapping for 31,000 kilometres of trunk highways. Using positioning data from the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and laser point-cloud mapping, the database records 127 types of assets, including roads, bridges, tunnels and safety facilities.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s Transport Minister Liu Wei said more than 7,800 kilometres of expressways had undergone digital and intelligent upgrades. The country has also built 60 automated terminals, while about 27 million pieces of transport equipment use the BeiDou system.<\/p>\n

In 2025, 696 long-span bridges crossing rivers, seas and gorges were included in a three-level monitoring network connecting national, provincial and individual bridge systems, according to the Ministry of Transport. The network enables bridge data, monitoring updates and alerts to be shared promptly.<\/p>\n

Policy support for artificial intelligence in transport is also expanding. In September 2025, seven government departments issued guidelines for applying AI to the sector. In 2026, authorities launched a plan to develop more than 100 pilot projects across areas such as intelligent driving, smart highways, supervision and shipping, bringing together more than 1,000 innovators.<\/p>\n

Wang Yunpeng, chairman of the China Intelligent Transportation Systems Association, said the integration of AI and transport was helping China advance toward a more digital, intelligent, connected and environmentally sustainable transport network.<\/p>\n

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