China’s self-driving vehicles on track to take global leadership position, ahead of US
Trial operations of autonomous buses and cars in Shanghai and Beijing highlight desire to steer automotive-tech revolution
“Snow is unusual in Shanghai,” says Li Xiao, an engineer at the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle Pilot Zone, “so we have to take the opportunity, to test the vehicle in the most adverse weather conditions.”
Li and colleague Chen Dong are about to oversee a trial of a driverless electric bus, produced by Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus, at the Enclosed Test Zone, the first testing area for autonomous vehicles in China. Covering 5 sq km and capable of replicating a range of road conditions, the zone has a section of motorway, a tunnel to simulate the loss of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) – used for high-speed wireless communication – signals, and huge metallic structures holding canvases printed with photographs of old Shanghai.
The overall effect is dystopian, enhanced by the test cars of a number of companies, which are running around covered in colourful fabrics; the brands don’t want to disclose their secrets, so photography is forbidden.
Snow has settled on the minibus’ sensors, but “the vehicle is equipped with systems to analyse the surroundings”, says an unfazed Li.
