Alibaba Transfers Self-Driving Research Team to Cainiao

Alibaba Group transferred its autonomous driving research team under the DAMO Academy to its logistics arm Cainiao Network Technology as part of a sweeping business revamp kicked off earlier this year, Cainiao confirmed Tuesday with Caixin.

Some staffers from the DAMO Academy’s autonomous driving business will be transferred to Cainiao, while others will be allocated to other Alibaba units, DAMO Academy told Caixin. “There will be personnel optimization as the business adjusts, but reports saying 70% of the staffers will be laid off are not true,” it said in a statement to Caixin.