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Chinese tech hub Shenzhen to soon open specific sections of city highways for autonomous vehicle trials: report
- Local authorities have already completed the assessment of certain sections of four city highways, with the total length reaching 89 kilometres
- Shenzhen expects to issue this year its first official licence plate for self-driving cars and initial permit for commercial robotaxi operations
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Iris Dengin Shenzhen
The municipal government of Shenzhen, China’s Silicon Valley, plans to open specific sections of a number of highways for self-driving car trials, helping accelerate the roll-out of autonomous vehicles in the richest city in southern Guangdong province.
Local authorities have already completed the assessment of certain parts of four city highways – with a total length of 89 kilometres, including 13 kilometres of “highly complex sections” – under that plan, according to a report on Monday by official media Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.
The municipal government is expected to “soon” make those areas available for autonomous vehicle tests, according to the report, which was reposted by government websites and various social media accounts. Authorities plan to issue Shenzhen’s first official licence plate for self-driving cars and initial permit for commercial robotaxi operations within this year.
The report also said authorities in Shenzhen are seeking internal feedback on relevant regulations, including the registration and governance of autonomous vehicles, and have tapped carmakers such as BYD to help design licence plates for self-driving cars.
02:22
Automated taxis now allowed on the road in Shenzhen
Automated taxis now allowed on the road in Shenzhen
This latest initiative by Shenzhen’s municipal government underscores the city’s ambition to become China’s autonomous vehicle tech hub, more than a year after the metropolis rolled out the country’s first dedicated regulations for intelligent connected cars.
Under those regulations, which took effect on August 1 last year, registered autonomous vehicles that function without a human driver can travel on certain roads and other areas designated by local transport authorities.
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