Chinese pioneers focus on safety in autonomus driving

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Self-driving technology has attracted much attention worldwide as many consortiums and companies around the world pump money into the industry, hoping to be the first to master the technology. But how far has this technology come?

Might self-driving cars replace human drivers in three years?

Li Yanhong, CEO of Baidu, went on record in March as saying that self-driving cars are likely to replace human drivers in the next three to five years. Baidu obtained a license to test its autonomous cars on open roads in Beijing, and a new metro line with self-driving trains is expected to begin test runs in Shanghai on March 22.

Liu Baosen, deputy director of the department of motor vehicles of Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, grants a self-driving test license to Baidu, March 22, 2018. /Asiannews Photo.

Other companies in China on top of the list include Pony.ai, which began operating its autonomous cars in the southern Chinese City of Guangzhou in January. This marked the first time a self-driving car company made the service available to members of the general public in China. While driving at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, Pony.ai’s car is able to smoothly and accurately read traffic lights while performing several lane changes.

Pony.ai launched its autonomous ride-sharing fleet in February, becoming the first company to offer self-driving car rides on city roads to the general public in China./ Pony.ai Photo.

“Our top priority at this moment is safety. It doesn’t matter if it’s during the simulation, road tests, or a pilot run. Safety is always our top priority,” said Zhang Ning, Guangzhou Office Site Lead, Pony.ai, China Headquarters.

Concerns about self-driving cars on the rise

Self-driving cars have raised a lot of concerns ever since the idea was first put forward. In March, an Uber self-driving car killed a pedestrian in Arizona, the United States. It became the first ever self-driving car fatality.

Safety concerns are rising, according to two polls conducted by the National Safety Council in the US on self-driving vehicles. One in January found that 36 percent of respondents suggested that self-driving cars are less safe than a vehicle controlled by a human. By April, that same index of concern increased by 14 percent.

An Uber self-driving car killed a pedestrian in Arizona, US on March 29. / VCG Photo.

Levels of autonomous cars

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International), a professional association that sets industry guidelines, provides a level-by-level guide to autonomous cars, according to which there are six levels of automation (0 - 5).

Level 0: No automation

A vehicle that fits into this category relies on a human to dictate every driving action.

Level 1: Driver assistance

At this level, a vehicle must have at least one advanced driver-assistance feature. Mobility is still supervised by a human, but for convenience, the vehicle is capable of maintaining its own speed under certain circumstances.

Level 2: Partial automation

Cars at level 2 of automation have two or more advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which can take control of the braking, steering or acceleration of the vehicle.

Level 3: Conditional automation

A level 3 vehicle is capable of taking full control and operating during select parts of a journey when certain operating conditions are met.

Level 4: High automation

A level 4 vehicle is able to finish an entire journey without driver intervention, even operating without a driver at all, but the vehicle does have some constraints.

Level 5: Full automation

A level 5 car can complete a hands-off, driverless operation under all circumstances. This is the level where there are no provisions for human control.

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