Beijing expands autonomous vehicle testing to include routes to Beijing South Railway Station

Beijing (Gasgoo)- On May 15, the Office of Beijing High Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone (BJHAD) announced new testing roads and areas for autonomous vehicles. The new routes cover the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town) and extend to Beijing South Railway Station.

Robotaxi in E-Town; photo credit: Pony.ai

Beijing South Railway Station is a major modern transportation hub integrating rail, subway, urban railway, bus, and taxi services. It serves the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and connects to major cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and others, with a daily passenger flow of nearly 300,000. The station is well-equipped with comprehensive facilities, including smart parking, making it suitable for autonomous driving deployment.

The BJHAD, in collaboration with Beijing’s municipal traffic management bureau, urban management committee, and Beijing Capital Highway Development Group, has established 2 two-way autonomous driving test routes. The routes cover 32 kilometers and 58.6 kilometers, respectively, passing through Boda Road, South Fourth Ring Road, Majiapu West Road, South Fifth Ring Road, Jingkai Expressway, and South Third Ring Road, reaching Beijing South Railway Station. A 2.2-square-kilometer test area has been designated around the station, including dedicated autonomous vehicle parking spots in the multi-level parking facility.

Officials stated that connecting the "five stations and two airports" is a key focus of the demonstration zone’s 3.0 phase expansion. These include Beijing South Railway Station, Beijing Fengtai Railway Station, Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station, Beijing Qinghe Railway Station, Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and Beijing Capital International Airport. Daxing Airport already offers normalized autonomous shuttle services, operated by companies such as Baidu Apollo, Pony.ai, WeRide, and AutoX, with a fleet of 40 vehicles.

Furthermore, the BJHAD office will collaborate with relevant enterprises to advance highway testing for autonomous vehicles with pilot zone qualifications, aiming to provide passenger-carrying shuttle services by the end of the year. Passengers will be able to book rides through each platform’s mobile apps, enjoying convenient and efficient autonomous transportation between any autonomous driving shuttle stops in Beijing E-Town and Beijing South Railway Station.