Green light for autonomous vehicles: Beijing reveals the biggest regulation in 5 years

The Beijing municipal government has developed a comprehensive ordinance to promote and regulate development autonomous driving technology as the Chinese capital gets closer to filling its streets with autonomous cars.

The proposed regulation, released publicly over the weekend by the Beijing Economic and Information Technology Bureau, promises support for “technological breakthroughs” in “key areas” that include sensors, semiconductors, operating systems and algorithms. It also calls for the creation of a city-wide platform for monitoring the safety of autonomous cars.

In addition to developing sensors and chips, the government plans to support “systematic access, authorized use and circulation” of data collected by autonomous cars and reserve enough space for intelligent driving. The regulation would also require the creation of a regulated sandbox where companies and institutions can test new technologies, scenarios and products in an “inclusive and prudent regulatory environment.”

A monitor shows the real-time location of an Apollo Moon robotaxi on the road as part of Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service during a media tour on April 22, 2022 in Beijing. Photo: Getty Images — A monitor shows the real-time location of the Apollo Moon robotaxi on the road as part of Baidu’s autonomous transportation service during a media tour on April 22, 2022 in Beijing. Photo: Getty Images

Beijing has traditionally been overly cautious when it comes to road safety due to the city’s political importance. Now it is the latest Chinese city to show greater appetite for full adoption of autonomous vehicles.

Currently the government allows it Baidu, Pony.ai, We drive and AutoX to provide automated shuttle services with a safety driver on board between Beijing Daxing International Airport and the Yizhuang modern area in the south of the city.

According to the proposed regulation, some entities will also be able to provide cartographic services using autonomous cars, including viewing and updating maps, as well as sending map data. Mapping activities are strictly regulated in China, mainly limited to state-owned entities or those affiliated with Big Tech companies.

The document, which is soliciting public opinion until July 29, aims to “promote and regulate the innovative activities of autonomous cars, industrial development and the construction of intelligent transport”, with the technology to be used primarily in buses, taxis, freight transport, street cleaning and security patrols.

To ensure safety, the planned monitoring platform is expected to better manage traffic violations, accident investigations and emergency response. Beijing’s plans also include a cloud-based command system that would combine vehicle data with road and transportation conditions, “providing converged sensors, collaborative decision-making and remote management services for autonomous vehicles.”

This marks the biggest push for autonomous driving in China’s capital since Beijing first allowed road tests in late 2019. The city has opened up more than 1,160 km of public roads for testing, and as of February, 384 vehicles from 18 companies have been approved for the tests. participation in tests. to the state-run Beijing Daily newspaper.

Other Chinese cities have also invested in the sector. The southern tech hub of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, has opened 944 km of public roads for testing, including 67 km of highways. Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province, claims to be the “world’s largest autonomous driving service region,” with nearly 500 regularly operating autonomous vehicles on the road, including robotaxes and driverless buses, serving 900,000 people across 732,000 orders in 2023.