In 2025, AI and big data moved from pilot to full-scale deployment across China’s heavy asset sectors. By 2026, the road transport industry is crossing a critical threshold: from digital visibility to autonomous decision-making.

G7 Connect, a leading road‑freight IoT player has been at the forefront of this shift. In this exclusive conversation with transport logistic Shanghai, CEO Zhai Xuekun (“Mr. Zhai”) shares his frontline view on where AI delivers real ROI – and where the next breakthroughs will come from.

Q1: Why does G7 Connect focus on asset‑heavy fields like agri‑food, bulk commodities, retail, and cold chain?

Zhai: Many people think logistics is just parcel delivery – that’s the tip of the iceberg. In China, 90% of freight demand is hidden inside factories and farms. For them, logistics is no longer a cost item – it’s the ticket to survival in a knockout race. 

Take agri‑food and cold chain – these are the toughest tests of cargo integrity. Conventional GPS is useless against sophisticated thefts. A broken cold chain doesn’t just lose goods – it destroys brand equity. We’ve connected 8 million IoT devices to trucks just for creating the full‑scenario awareness. The urgent leap is from IoT to AI, from passive monitoring to action-driving results. Only an AI loop – edge data capture → cloud-based autonomous decision → last-mile action – can turn previously incalculable losses into tangible profits. 

Q2: What qualitative changes will AI and big data bring in the next 3–5 years?

Zhai: The past decade of digitalization has essentially been about moving data – from offline to online. The breakthrough lies in closing the loop: communication → decision → action. I believe a logistics company of the future is essentially a decision factory driven by AI agents. Only an AI loop – [edge data capture + cloud‑based autonomous decision + last‑mile action] – can turn incalculable losses into tangible profits.

AI will not flatten differences – it will amplify the leverage of those who already have domain expertise. If you have industry know‑how, AI becomes your digital superpower.

Q3: With new‑energy heavy trucks surging, what is the biggest trap for fleet owners?

Zhai: Many owners think switching to electric solves everything – ignoring that performance curves, recharging logic, and safety patterns are completely different from diesel. They fall into the “growth trap”: more trucks, worse books, weaker management, and safety bottlenecks.

In bulk commodities, logistics is shifting from fragmented to organized operations – and many newcomers have zero fleet management experience. Which risks really matter in bulk freight? How do you systematically reduce driver risk? How do you decode complex cost structures and vehicle profit statements to find optimization levers? Each question is a bottleneck to scaling. An effective AI tool that evolves with your fleet is the shortcut to stable expansion and healthy profitability.

Q4: New‑energy trucks bring new safety risks. How do you achieve truly precise prevention?

Zhai: Here’s a hard truth: New‑energy heavy trucks accelerate too fast and run too quietly – drivers easily get distracted. That’s a recipe for accidents, and today NE trucks have far higher incident rates than conventional ones. The Our core logic is algorithm‑driven governance.

Our product unique near‑miss detection pushes safety management to prevention before incident. Every close call is accurately flagged to safety managers. With precise management and training of the 20% high‑risk drivers, you dramatically cut accidents caused by bad habits. We don’t spray‑and‑pray; we pinpoint the high‑risk few – without sacrificing driver experience.

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Join transport logistic Shanghai 2026 – Where AI Meets Road Freight

Taking place June 24–26, 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, transport logistic Shanghai 2026 will partner with G7 Connect to launch the Road Transportation & Truck Ecosystem Pavilion – an integrated zone blending a smart ecosystem showcase with a high-level industry summit. Key themes include electrification, green transition, tech innovation, and global expansion of commercial vehicles.

What you can expect:

✔ Tap into transport logistic Shanghai’s global network of premium logistics and trading partners

✔ Leverage G7 Connect’s forward-looking insights at the intersection of road freight, AI, IoT, and new energy

✔ Explore the full value chain – from hardware to industrial services

✔ Experience a one-stop future ecosystem: ideas, tech products, and business resources