Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is set to start testing level 3 (L3) autonomous driving in its electrified vehicles on high-speed roads in its home country, Reuters reports.
For context, L3 autonomous driving includes capabilities that enable drivers to engage in various activities despite being behind the wheel but only under limited conditions.
BYD secures conditional testing license
BYD proudly announced its attainment of the necessary conditional testing license on Wednesday, allowing it to pilot its L3 autonomous driving technology in Shenzhen.
According to the company’s Weibo post, it initially secured the crucial license from Chinese regulators last July 21. However, it only disclosed the achievement yesterday.
Impressively, BYD was apparently the first automotive company in the Chinese market to obtain such a permit.
L3 autonomous driving tech race
According to Gasgoo, several industry players, apart from BYD, also got conditional testing licenses for L3 autonomous driving in various cities across the country. These include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, IM Motors, ARCFOX, and Changan Auto.
BMW Group’s test license for its L3 autonomous driving covers highways in Shanghai, while Mercedes Benz will do so on designated highways in Beijing.
IM Motors, SAIC Motor–Alibaba’s EV unit also gained permission to test their L3 autonomous driving technology in Shanghai. As mentioned, BYD got its license in Shenzhen.
China’s strict regulation
These significant advancements in China’s L3 autonomous driving industry transpire following the government’s recent efforts to ensure its safety.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Ministry of Transport reportedly released a joint notice for relevant companies titled “Notice on Conducting Pilot Program for Intelligent Connected Vehicles.”
It includes the government’s permission for eligible smart-connected cars to undergo on-road testing in designated areas. However, it emphasized that the operating entity will be accountable for potential accidents during the pilot program.
That said, obtaining the conditional testing license for L3 autonomous driving requires numerous examinations and processes. For context, Beijing mandates closed-site examinations, autonomous driving capabilities assessments, and municipal departments’ expert reviews before granting the license.
The L3 autonomous driving tech-equipped vehicles must adhere to traffic rules, execution capabilities, and human intervention in emergencies. They must also meet the set competency levels and pass safety tech inspections before receiving the permit. Furthermore, drivers must complete at least 50 hours of necessary training for autonomous vehicles.
Experts must also evaluate the vehicles before deployment. Once operational, the vehicles must have strict monitoring tools to guarantee compliance. BYD’s attainment of the crucial testing license marks a significant advancement in autonomous driving technology in the country. It can potentially boost BYD models’ appeal to Chinese customers, considering the high-tech driving features enabled by L3 autonomous driving systems.
