Shanghai Paves the Road for Autonomous Vehicles
It may be known for its financial prowess, but now Shanghai is trying its hand in the high-tech realm with plans to take the lead in autonomous driving.
The city has become China’s first to issue licenses to intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) companies, allowing them to pilot autonomous driving projects in real urban scenarios, local government officials announced on Monday during the World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference. Such tests are a crucial step before things like commercial robotaxis can go into service.
Car makers SAIC Motor and BMW, as well as the Uber-esque Didi Chuxing, are becoming the first companies to receive such licenses, and will roll out related projects in the city’s Jiading district, the government said.