Driverless trucks on the way

Trucks driving themselves out of warehouses and heading off along long, winding highways with precious parcels - a scenario that might come sooner than many people expect.

Cainiao Network Technology Co Ltd, the logistics affiliate of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, is hiring 30 autonomous driving experts at its Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, headquarters and Beijing office, the latest indication of the company betting big in this area. The posts include research and development personnel specializing in visual systems, navigation algorithms and platform development, according to Alibaba's recruitment website.

Cainiao confirmed a social media post, in which an unnamed Cainiao engineer identified driverless trucks as the company's "next frontier" and the very reason he joined Cainiao.