In our series "5 minutes with..." Intertraffic finds out a little more about some of the most well-known names and faces in the intelligent mobility sector, we caught up with Raymond Luo, Business Development Manager from Jieshun Technology to learn more smart mobility in China.
Intertraffic: In the last five years, what one new innovation or one new development has made your job easier? It can be new technology, new thinking, new legislation… what would it be? And why?
Raymond Luo: It should be EV technology. With the vigorous development of EV technology and favorable policies for new energy vehicles in many countries, the number of electric vehicles has maintained rapid growth. Saudi Arabia plans to achieve electric vehicles covering 30% of the total number of vehicles by 2030.
This is a great opportunity for both the company and me. Relying on industry-leading R&D capabilities, JIESHUN has developed an EV charging solution, including standard AC chargers and fast DC chargers, which are integrated with parking management, parking guidance and parking space management in a comprehensive parking solution.
For a business development manager, it is now easier to introduce this cutting-edge technology solution to the global market and bring more added value to consumers, business owners and governments.
Intertraffic: Which trend or topic do you think is going to be the number one conversation starter in 2024? This year for example was undoubtedly the proliferation of artificial intelligence in smart mobility solutions.
Raymond Luo: Recently, ChatGPT has once again set off an upsurge in AI. I think it will still make AI a hot topic in 2024. Some people worry that AI will rule the world one day. Personally, I still think that we can manage the development of artificial intelligence technology well, so that AI can serve human beings instead of replacing them.
JIESHUN has already used AI technology well in its products. Edge AI technology reduces the burden on the central server and enables high-accuracy license plate recognition. In the future, I believe that AI will be better used in parking solutions.
Intertraffic: If you could change one thing about the sector you work in that will be of benefit to society as a whole, what would that be?
Raymond Luo: In my opinion, accelerating the construction of smart cities is beneficial to the whole society. It is time for everyone to do their bit to combat the effects of climate change, and digital urban governance can help tremendously.
In the case of parking, license plate recognition and electronic passes have gradually replaced traditional paper tickets. When people need to park, they can reserve free parking spaces through the APP. After arriving at the designated parking lot, the intelligent parking guidance system will also guide the driver to the designated location. All of the above can save a lot of energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.
At present, our APP has served 32,000 parking lots in 369 cities, with a cumulative user base of 102 million. The monthly transaction volume exceeds 2.5 million. We have helped drivers save an estimated 691 million hours of parking time, equivalent to a reduction of 560,000 tons of carbon emissions. We look forward to providing this excellent product to users around the world and hope to find the right partner to run this business together.
Intertraffic: What subject did you study at University and has it actually helped you during your career in the smart mobility/ITS world?
Raymond Luo: This is a good question. My major in university is bioengineering, which is completely different from intelligent transportation systems. However, scientific and effective learning methods can make it easier for me to understand the current cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, etc.
Intertraffic: Away from the business world, what would constitute a perfect Saturday for you?
Raymond Luo: Definitely a time to spend with my family. I love the sea, the beach and the gentle wind. I love the sunshine on our tent and the fresh air in the park. I love the laughter of my children and the natural smell of the grass. I also enjoy hanging out at the mall with my wife. In short, a perfect Saturday with my family is something I love outside of work.
Intertraffic: You are recognised as one of the public faces of your company, but what would you like to be remembered for, however?
Raymond Luo: I would like people to remember that Raymond comes from JIESHUN, which is a leading brand in China's parking industry. The company has deployed more than 100,000 parking lots around the world. JIESHUN can provide comprehensive parking solutions including parking management, parking guidance, electric vehicle charging and management platforms. It will contribute its own strength to the construction of smart cities. And Raymond will continue to bring customers the best innovations in the parking industry.
