The red light delivery revolution

外卖迟到不再扣钱?

Round Table China

2026-07-23

32 分钟
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单集简介 ...

For years, China's delivery riders have been trapped in a cruel dynamic. Their apps track every second, but algorithms have no idea when riders are stuck at red lights. Late penalties pile up for delays completely out of their control. Now Suzhou is integrating traffic signal data with delivery platforms, so the countdown pauses when riders wait at intersections. Will this change be enough to alleviate the anxiety riders feel about late deliveries? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Xingyu
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单集文稿 ...

  • Discussion keeps the world turning.

  • This is Round Table.

  • What if your boss was an algorithm that couldn't see red lights?

  • And for China's food delivery riders, that is the daily reality until now.

  • In the city of Suzhou, traffic signal data is finally talking to delivery apps,

  • and the countdown freezes when riders wait for traffic lights.

  • Can this one city's experiment rewrite the rules of the gig economy?

  • And then, we thought buffets were dead, killed by the pandemic, changing tastes,

  • or a generation that swore off shared serving spoons.

  • And now they're coming back, but not exactly as we remember them.

  • Gone are the sprawling spreads with a hundred dishes.

  • The buffet reinvented itself, and how long they can survive this time.

  • Coming to you live from our studios in Beijing.

  • This is Round Table. I'm Fay Faye for today's program.

  • I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Xingyu.

  • First on today's show.

  • For millions of food delivery riders, every second counts.

  • A red light, a traffic jam, or a very crowded intersection could mean

  • the difference between making a delivery on time or facing a penalty.

  • But in East China's Suzhou city, a new pilot program is trying to change