Technology Trigger
Driverless robotaxis hit the road in Shanghai on July 8, roaming a test area that covers 127 miles of roads. The move follows similar initiatives in several other Chinese cities. All these events serve as a testimony to the country’s attempts to take a global lead in autonomous driving.
Earlier this month, Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province, rolled out its renewed city planning for low-speed autonomous driving.
Policy Background
On July 4, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT) released the nation’s grand plan for Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration (VRCI) trials. The initiative aims to promote a large-scale application of autonomous driving in multiple scenarios, such as passenger cars, logistics, and delivery.
About the Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integrated System
The following diagram of a vehicle-road-cloud integration system acts as a visual assistance to comprehend the central issue involved here.
Altogether, 20 major cities were selected, based on their existing transportation infrastructure, communication facilities and demand for Intelligent Connected Vehicles (ICVs) in their traffic control endeavor.
Nationwide, China has opened more than 32,000 km test roads and issued over 700 test licenses.
