Dongfeng Sharing obtains first commercial pilot license for autonomous bus in Wuhan

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Dongfeng Sharing, the autonomous driving arm of Dongfeng Motor, was recently granted the first commercial pilot license for autonomous buses in the Wuhan region, according to Dongfeng Motor’s WeChat post on July 5.

Sharing-BUS; photo credit: Dongfeng Sharing

The autonomous driving bus, Sharing-BUS, was officially deployed and has been in trial operation for over a year since the May Day holiday last year. The fares for the unmanned buses are the same as traditional buses. The current reference fare for regular bus routes in Wuhan is 2 yuan. The suggested fare for the yet-to-open rapid bus routes within 6 kilometers will be 3 yuan, with fare increments based on the distance traveled.

Robotaxi; photo credit: Dongfeng Sharing

The commercial pilot license also covers Dongfeng Sharing's Robotaxi, an autonomous taxi service operating through ride-hailing platforms. Residents can use Dongfeng Sharing’s WeChat mini-program to book rides, selecting their pick-up and drop-off points.

Both vehicle types will be able to operate commercially on open roads in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone and Hanyang District, excluding urban expressways.

In 2023, the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone plans to open up 100 intelligent connected vehicle demonstration scenarios, including unmanned taxis, scenic tours, smart buses, last-mile logistics, smart parking, autonomous parking, and smart tourism. It will also introduce three industry standards for vehicle-road coordination construction, complete legislative research on intelligent connected vehicles, and lead the way in the commercialization of autonomous driving.