China’s ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has unveiled plans to expand its intra-city cargo delivery service launched last June to 11 new Chinese cities later this month.
Users in the 11 cities, which include Beijing, Hefei, Wenzhou and Wuxi, can place orders on Didi’s China app or its mini program embedded in the social media app WeChat, Didi said in a WeChat post on Thursday.
Beijing-based Didi said that it is installing a security system for its vans that can record audio or video of rides and monitor drivers’ fatigue levels, adding that drivers whose vehicles are fitted with the system will be eligible to receive more orders.
The security move came after a tragedy took place in February, when a woman died after leaping from a moving van she hired from the Hong Kong-based moving company Lalamove, triggering public concern over the safety of using van-hailing services.
The expansion plan brings the total number of cities where Didi’s freight delivery service is available to 19, according to the company.
Besides Lalamove, Didi also faces competition in China from SoftBank-backed Manbang Group and JD.com-endorsed Fuyou Kache, among others.
Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com)
Related: Despite Pledge to Change After Rider’s Death, It’s Business as Usual at Lalamove
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