China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning highlighted smart construction technologies used in the upgrade of the Shantou-Meizhou Expressway in a post on X on March 31, noting the use of unmanned pavers and rollers operating in sync.
The technology was first applied in November 2025 in the Meizhou-Xingning section. At the site, 10 large machines operated in coordinated formation without drivers, maintaining a steady speed of about 4 km/h to complete paving and compaction.
Compared with traditional operations, which are conducted under high temperatures and involve heavy workloads, the unmanned system reduces risks such as uneven compaction and safety hazards caused by human-machine interaction. Engineers can initiate operations with a single command on a tablet, with the system automatically planning routes and coordinating multiple machines in real time.
According to the project data, the technology has cut labor costs by 62 percent and improved overall efficiency by around 50 percent. Supported by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, its positioning accuracy is controlled within 3 centimeters, improving surface evenness and structural quality.
The project is expanding the application of unmanned paving to more sections and refining scheduling, monitoring, and data analysis systems, aiming to build a replicable model for smart road construction.
Author | Huang Xinying
Photo | Nanfang Plus
