China issued safety guidelines on Tuesday for the use of autonomous vehicles in public transport, the latest in a series of measures aimed at increasing the use of driverless cars.
Scope of the Guidelines
The guidelines apply to passenger autonomous vehicles, including taxis, as well as to freight vehicles, according to the Ministry of Transport.
Safety Requirements
The guidelines cover vehicles with varying degrees of automation and require that at least one vehicle have a driver or security inspector onboard.
Company Requirements
The guidelines also require companies that use autonomous vehicles in public transport to be qualified and licensed, stating that companies may operate in collaboration with auto manufacturers in such operations.
Accelerating Technology Adoption
Xiao Jianhong, head of the innovation unit at Chinese shipping company FOR-U Smart Freight, said, “The guidelines can accelerate the adoption of autonomous driving technologies in China in a more pragmatic manner by regulating vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators.” Xiao added, “Unlike their counterparts in the United States, Chinese authorities do not directly target software developers, which is harder to regulate.”
China’s Autonomous Driving Plan
The world’s largest automotive market is working to establish standards and regulations for autonomous driving. It aims to create a system that supports assisted and autonomous driving functions by 2025 and introduce standards that support the development of autonomous driving applications and establish a safety assurance system by 2030.
Road Testing
China announced last month that it would allow road tests for intelligent connected vehicles. In October, it issued guidelines for road engineering facilities to support autonomous driving technology. In July, it issued guidelines on standardizing intelligent connected vehicles.
Source: Reuters
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