Beijing Approves the Operations of Unmanned Self-Driving Vehicles

On Friday, Beijing gave the green light for the operations of unmanned self-driving vehicles operation of self-driving vehicle services without in-car safety supervisors. The approval was granted to two fully-driverless ride-hailing platforms, operated by Chinese tech giant Baidu and autonomous vehicle startup Pony.ai, after a successful three-month pilot program on public roads.

During the pilot program, the autonomous vehicles demonstrated their ability to handle complex scenarios such as intersections, narrow roadways, and extreme weather conditions like rain, snow, and sandstorms.

Previously, safety supervisors were required to stay in the driver’s seats, passenger seats, or second-row seats during road tests and commercial operations. With the new permit, Baidu and Pony.ai can provide fully driverless rides without a safety supervisor in a 60-square-kilometer area of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

Through mobile applications, residents can summon a driverless car without a safety supervisor to travel to various destinations, including subway stations, key commercial areas, public parks, and residential communities.

The move towards the commercial operation of autonomous driving services in Beijing is part of China’s effort to become a world leader in self-driving technology. The government has been supportive of autonomous vehicle development, with Beijing planning to have 10,000 autonomous taxis in operation.

The introduction of fully driverless ride-hailing platforms in Beijing is also expected to offer several benefits. It is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce the number of accidents caused by human error, and reduce congestion in the city.

However, the adoption of autonomous driving services is not without its challenges. Concerns about the safety of the technology and the potential impact on employment have been raised. Additionally, the high costs of developing and deploying the technology, as well as the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure its safe operation, remain obstacles to its widespread adoption.

Despite these challenges, the commercial operation of autonomous driving services in Beijing marks a significant step forward in the development of self-driving technology in China and around the world.