Reference News Network, December 19 report: The U.S. "New York Times" website published an article by Bickes titled "Flying Taxis? China Already Has Them. And Drone Food Delivery Services", translated as follows:

As an American journalist living in Beijing, I have seen how China and other parts of the world are exploring cutting-edge technologies such as robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles. But China has now gone far beyond the exploration phase. It is launching autonomous delivery trucks, testing flying cars, and equipping parking lots with robot that can replace electric vehicle batteries within minutes. There are even drones that lower lunch from the air via cables.

All this sounds both futuristic and somewhat unbelievable, but it reflects China's ambition to lead in various clean energy technologies.

I took a high-speed train to Hefei to experience life under this future vision. Hefei is one of many cities testing these new technologies.

I experienced all these technologies: battery-changing robots, autonomous delivery trucks, drone food delivery, and more. First was the driverless flying taxi. Hefei is one of the first cities in China to issue licenses for "flying cars." So, I booked an experience. This experimental service aims to provide taxi-like services between city stations.

Battery-changing Robots for Cars

Of course, most people rely on cars for transportation. On the streets of Hefei, you can see how China has completely transformed the driving experience.

The proportion of electric vehicles in new car sales in China has exceeded half, and they are quite advanced. New models can be charged in as little as five minutes. China has built over 18.6 million public charging stations, which are随处可见 even in rural areas.

In Hefei, the charging stations are as long as a football field. Some charging stations have about 100 charging spots. And drive-through battery swap stations are common. While you wait, a robot will take out your empty battery and install a new one. The car enters a cube-shaped garage, and the whole process takes about three minutes, which is about the same time it takes to refuel at a traditional gas station.

Lunch Falling From the Sky

We decided to have lunch in a city park and ordered fried pork cutlet and a small portion of fried rice through a drone food delivery app. Then, instead of waiting in the park, we went to a nearby underground food plaza and saw our order on the counter.

An delivery person took our food and agreed to go with my companion to the drone takeoff point, which was just a few minutes away.

The lunch was ready to go. We ran back to the park, but the drone was faster. Our meal was already waiting for us on the grass.

The next day, we went back to the park and ordered soup. This time, we stayed to watch the drone land. Although the amount of food wasn't much, there was a lot of packaging, and the soup was still warm when it arrived.

Fast Transportation

There's a reason why China's high-speed rail is famous. In less than 20 years, China has built a high-speed rail network that spans 30,000 miles (about 48,300 kilometers). High-speed trains themselves produce far less pollution than cars, trucks, or airplanes. Moreover, taking the high-speed rail for a day trip is fast and convenient. So, we decided to take the high-speed rail to Wuhan.

China's high-speed rail stations look like airports. Passengers scan their ID cards to enter and board. Don't think about walking to the dining car to buy coffee. Just scan the QR code on the seat armrest of the high-speed rail, and someone will bring you a Starbucks.

Autonomous Taxis

When we arrived in Wuhan, we were excited to take an autonomous taxi. Although some U.S. cities have tried autonomous cars, China leads in the number and operation of autonomous cars.

Wuhan is one of more than a dozen cities in China with autonomous taxis. Currently, hundreds of autonomous taxis operate throughout the city, serving airports and other major locations.

New Metro Systems

Cities across China are rapidly building subways, and more than 50 cities now have subway networks. China's subway systems are usually popular, with huge passenger flows.

Like many Chinese cities, residents of Hefei live in high-rise buildings, and many live or work close to subway stations. Subways effectively alleviate traffic congestion and air pollution.

Like many other things, new trains are usually driverless. Stations are designed in a stylish and clean manner. The New York subway still relies on technology that is over a century old, while Hefei's subway is fully automated.

After a few days of field research on Hefei's future development concept, I was heading to my next reporting destination - Nanjing. Of course, by high-speed rail. (Translated by Wang Haifang)

On November 22, people watched an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft during the Peakfly Aviation Global Technology Day event. (Xinhua News Agency)

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7585385769049621002/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.