Beijing gives tentative green light for driverless cars to use test roads

Beijing transport authorities released a new regulation on Monday allowing legal entities registered in China to apply for temporary automatic driving on certain test roads, as some cities and technology giants begin to tap into the self-driving market.

According to the statement published by Beijing Municipal Transport Commission, independent legal entities registered in China can apply for temporary permission to drive automatic vehicles, but the vehicle has to be equipped with both automatic and manned driving modes. When these vehicles are on test roads, drivers must be sitting in the car so that they can take control in the event of an emergency.

The statement said that all the testing entities must purchase traffic accident liability insurance. The traffic management department will soon approve the first batch of roads that can be used for automatic driving.

The new rule came after four self-driving buses made their debut on December 2 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. However, the Shenzhen Bus Group told the Red Star News, under Chengdu Business Daily, that the self-driving buses are still waiting for approval from local officials and traffic management bureaus.

In July, Robin Li, CEO of China’s online search engine Baidu, was tailed by Beijing traffic police after livestreaming himself in a Baidu driverless car on Beijing’s 5th Ring Road. Beijing Youth Daily quoted an unnamed officer as saying that current traffic laws and regulations do not allow driverless vehicles to run on the roads.