Silk Road rally revs up with Beidou

China's self-developed Beidou navigation system is being used to track and monitor the Silk Road Truck Rally to ensure driving security and fair competition, according to the event's organizing committee.

The Ministry of Transport and the government of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region organized the event.

The rally covers six provinces and regions and drivers will take at least half a month to complete the route. The long distance and time frame means scientific and accurate data collection is key, according to an organizing committee official.