Shenzhen to issue policy on promoting passenger-carrying ICV trial operation

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Shenzhen is soliciting public opinions on the draft guidelines on promoting application and demonstration of ICVs (the Guidelines), which will allow self-driving cars to carry passengers and freight on certain areas.

The Guidelines, jointly issued by local authorities of transport, development & reform, industry & information technology, and traffic police, clearly states that the trials and practical applications of ICVs will be encouraged in semi-closed independent functional zones, such as campus, ports, logistics parks, industrial parks, public green parks and scenic spots.

(Photo source: AutoX)

As for the available scenarios, ICVs will be deployed to ferry passengers and transport freights on open roads, sweep and water urban roads, and carry out other special-purpose tasks. All these are non-profit trips.

Shenzhen issued in May 2018 the implementation opinions (the Opinions) on regulating the ICV road tests, specifying the qualification of applicants and the application procedures.

Nonetheless, the opinions have gradually exposed its limitation, which cannot satisfy the current requirements brought by the technology development. For instance, the passenger- or goods-carrying tests are not permitted and the tests are only allowed to be conducted on designated open roads, while more scenarios are needed now.

The Guidelines will be launched to improve the existing Opinions. It says a vehicle that applies for trial application should have been tested on roads for at least 1,000km without any history of traffic violation or incidents. Before starting trial operation, the car is required to pass such tests of autonomous driving functions as recognition and response to pedestrians, non-motor vehicles and traffic lights, as well as passing through intersections and roundabouts.

The applicants are allowed to recruit volunteers for self-driving passenger-carrying tests through ID-based channels of Internet, media outlets, mobile Apps, and WeChat mini programs. The volunteers much reach the age of 18 with complete civil capacity and should be fully informed of all safety risks before they sign up relevant agreements. Besides, the applicants need take viable measures to ensure volunteers' safety and buy necessary commercial insurances for them.

According to a local media report, Shenzhen has already launched 124-km-long open roads for ICV tests. Up until now, companies like Tencent, Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI), Haylion Technologies, and AutoX have got green light from local government to conduct such kind of tests.