China approves first public trials of advanced autonomous driving

China has granted approval to a first group of nine automakers to carry out tests on vehicles with advanced autonomous driving (AD) technologies on public roads, as part of a plan to accelerate adoption of self-driving cars, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Tuesday.

The country will launch pilot projects for the on-road operation of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) in seven cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

These smart vehicles will encompass a range of categories, from passenger cars to buses and trucks. Throughout the pilot phase, the project will involve rigorous testing and safety assessments. The data will be used to evaluate the performance of the ICVs and how best to integrate them with the current traffic systems to improve road safety as a whole.

The tests will be carried out by automakers including BYD and Nio, as well as major state-owned manufacturers such as Changan Automobile, GAC and SAIC, according to the ministry.

Fleet operators, such as ride-hailing companies, will also be involved in the tests.

China has achieved significant progress in ICVs, with over 29,000 kilometers of dedicated test roads established and more than 6,800 test licenses issued by April. These efforts have resulted in a staggering 88 million kilometers of accumulated test mileage.

The MIIT reports that some ICVs have reached a stage where mass production and application are feasible. However, the focus now shifts towards further enhancing functionality, performance, and most importantly, ensuring the highest level of safety. By prioritizing these aspects, China aims to propel its ICV industry towards a future of high-quality development.

Last November, China laid the groundwork for a nationwide AD program by releasing guidelines for companies to develop self-driving vehicles for mass adoption, allowing drivers in test vehicles to take their hands off the wheel, with the responsibility for safety falling on automakers and fleet operators.

Liu Fawang, deputy director of the Equipment Industry Development Center at MIIT, told China Media Group that the country's industry standards define six levels of driving automation, from Level 0 (no automation) to Level 5 (full automation). Currently, most vehicles sold on the Chinese market only offer driver-assistance features from Level 0 to Level 2 (partial automation). For vehicles with AD functions from Level 3 (conditional automation) to Level 4 (high automation), access pilots are currently underway. 

The MIIT said this trial is expected to pave the way for the commercialization of more advanced AD technologies.

According to Chinese media Caixin, Tesla is looking forward to seeing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) – a key to Tesla's vision of fully autonomous cars – operating in China. Tesla rolled out FSD four years ago, but has yet to make it available in China, its second-largest market globally after the U.S.