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Li Tao

Shenzhen, the southern coastal Chinese city that is home to some of the world’s biggest technology companies, is heating up the global race for autonomous driving as the site for the country’s first trial of self-driving buses on public roads.
Public transit operator Shenzhen Bus Group has started testing four self-driving buses, equipped with software and sensors from Chinese firm Haylion Technologies, on a 1.2km loop in the city’s Futian district.
The aim is to collect more on-road data to refine its software, according to Joseph Ma, deputy general manager at Shenzhen Bus. The company is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Transport International Holdings, formerly known as The Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings.
Shenzhen Bus has made its foray into the autonomous market amid China’s bid to become a leader in this technology.



China, the world’s biggest vehicle market, has targeted up to 20 per cent of its cars on the road to be highly autonomous by 2025, and for 10 per cent of cars to be fully self-driving by 2030.
Ma said there are plans to expand the company’s trial to more areas in Shenzhen, but these would be confined to roads with less traffic and fewer pedestrians.
“The main advantage of driverless buses is increased safety,” said Ma.
Human error is a major cause of road accidents worldwide. There have been about 260,000 road fatalities each year in China, according to a World Health Organisation estimate published in May last year.
For the Shenzhen Bus trial, a human driver is stationed at the steering wheel, ready to take over if the vehicle encountered a situation that it cannot automatically handle.

In a recent demonstration, the bus was able to run smoothly on the road without human intervention. It sped up and slowed down, made turns, avoided pedestrians, navigated traffic lights and make an emergency stop.
Each self-driving bus was equipped with a range of active safety features, including lasers, radar, sensors and a visual scanning system that monitored the vehicle’s surroundings without any blind spot, according to Hu Jianping, the chairman at privately held Haylion.
Like electric cars and buses, which China have been actively promoting, self-driving vehicles are expected to be initially adopted by public transit operators on certain fixed routes.
Even if China’s laws allow for fully autonomous buses in future, a driver is still expected to be stationed on these vehicles, much like how automated high-speed trains have staff on-board to ensure the system runs smoothly, said Wu Zhengming, a partner of Frontt Capital Management, which focuses on the autonomous car industry.
China accelerates towards a driverless future as Hong Kong stalls

Among the major Chinese technology companies working on self-driving vehicles, internet search engine operator Baidu has been investing the most aggressively, while forging key industry alliances.
Baidu in September launched its 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) Apollo Fund to invest in more than 100 autonomous driving projects over the next three years.
In October, Baidu teamed up with Chinese bus maker King Long United Automotive Industry to co-develop the country’s first fully autonomous bus. Initial production is expected in July next year.
Recent trials in other markets, however, showed that autonomous driving still had issues to resolve. In Las Vegas last month, a driverless shuttle bus was involved in a minor accident about two hours after it was launched. In Singapore last year, an autonomous car from US firm NuTonomy hit a truck while on a test drive.


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Future of transport

Shenzhen bus operator joins Baidu, Google in autonomous driving race with public trial

China, the world’s biggest vehicle market, has targeted up to 20 per cent of its cars on the road to be highly autonomous by 2025, and for 10 per cent of cars to be fully self-driving by 2030

The self-driving bus co-developed by Baidu and King Long is set to start production in July next year.

The different levels of autonomous driving. Image: Baidu

Four self-driving buses began trial operation Saturday in Shenzhen, a city known for its high concentration of hi-tech companies. The smart buses, which are smaller than an ordinary bus, began running on a 1.2-kilometre route with three stops in the bonded zone of Futian. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Baidu plans to start production of self-driving bus next year

The internet giant is pushing ahead with its move into autonomous vehicles as it looks to reinvent itself as an artificial intelligence company

Lu Qi, Baidu’s chief operating officer and head of its intelligent car business, and Xie Siyu, chairman of King Long, pose for picture during the signing ceremony between the two company, Oct 17, 2017.

A concept photo of the self-driving bus being co-developed by Baidu and King Long. The companies plan to start production in July next year. Photo: Handout

China’s Baidu revs up driverless car race with launch of US$1.5bn  autonomous driving fund

A convoy of Baidu driverless cars pictured in Wuhen last November at the 3rd World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit. Photo: Simon Song

FILE PHOTO: A employee uses his mobile phone as he walks past the company logo of Baidu at its headquarters in Beijing, August 5, 2010. REUTERS/Barry Huang/File Photo

(170705) -- BEIJING, July 5, 2017 (Xinhua) -- Lu Qi, Group President and COO of China's online search Baidu, introduces Apollo open platform at Create 2017, the Baidu AI Developer Conference, at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, July 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) (lb)

China accelerates towards a driverless future as Hong Kong stalls

Wilson Wong says mainland China’s intensive investment and flexible workforce make it the ‘holy grail’ for autonomous cars, in contrast to Hong Kong, where concerns about job losses dominate thinking

Li Zengwen, a development engineer at Changan Automobile, removes his hands from the steering wheel while the car is on self-driving mode during a test drive on a highway in Beijing, China, April 16, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Machine operatives fit oil feed pipes to engine blocks at the Ford Motor Co.’s engine assembly plant in Dagenham, U.K., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett pledged accelerated work on green and driverless vehicles, more partnerships and acquisitions, a focus on the trucks and SUVs buyers want, and improved operational “fitness.” Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg

A driverless truck starts its journey to deliver cargo following a launch ceremony in Singapore on Oct. 24, 2017. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Interview with Syrah Ma Siu-wa, a female taxi driver in Tuen Mun. 10AUG17 SCMP / Xiaomei Chen

A seriously-damaged McLaren P1 sports car is pictured after it collided with another car on a road in Yiwu city, east China's Zhejiang province, 19 April 2016. The accident happened at around 19:30 on Tuesday when the McLaren P1 sports car, at a sale price of 12.6 million yuan, was travelling along an elevated road in Yiwu. A Roewe car on the neighboring lane suddenly changed its course right in the front without flashing its turn signal, according to someone close to the accident. The McLaren driver failed to respond immediately and crashed his car into the guardrails in the middle of the road and then rear-ended the Roewe car. The McLaren was severely damaged while the Roewe suffered slighter damage with its rear end crushed. No one was injured in the accident and the police is investigating into it. (Imaginechina)

Senator Alex Padilla of California and California Gov. Jerry Brown arrive in a driverless car before a signing ceremony for SB 1298 at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California on Tuesday, September 25, 2012. Senate Bill 1298 will allow driverless cars to be operated on public roads for testing purposes. (Gary Reyes/San Jose Mercury News/MCT)

A line of Baidu driverless cars are pictured in Wuhen on Nov. 16, 2016. The 3rd World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit opens in Wuzhen, China's Zhejiang province on Nov. 26, 2016. 16NOV16 SCMP/Simon Song

Shenzhen joins race to be global hub for autonomous driving industry

An autonomous version of Acura's RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD drives at carmaker Honda's testing grounds at the GoMentum Station autonomous vehicle test facility in Concord, California June 1, 2016. REUTERS/Noah Berger TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A survey last year found that 96 per cent of Chinese citizens would consider using an autonomous vehicle for their day-to-day transportation, whereas only 58 per cent of Americans said the same. Photo: Reuters

JD.com joins Baidu in chasing self-driving car dream with US$1.5 billion investment

Unlike other technology companies and car makers, JD.com’s investment in self-driving vehicles is driven by a need to boost efficiency and reduce costs. Photo: Reuters

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China, the world’s biggest vehicle market, has targeted up to 20 per cent of its cars on the road to be highly autonomous by 2025, and for 10 per cent of cars to be fully self-driving by 2030


Technology