Recently, the Ministry of Transport announced the first batch of eighteen pilot programs for the application of intelligent transportation, including self-driving vehicles and intelligent shipping.

Guangzhou, which has already carried out tests of autonomous buses and taxis on open roads, was selected to launch the pilot program of applying autonomous driving to city travel.

So far, Guangzhou has tested autonomous vehicles on the roads in six districts, including Baiyun, Haizhu, Panyu, Huangpu, Huadu and Nansha, with the total testing mileage exceeding six million kilometers.

Driverless sanitation vehicles are launched in Guangzhou on Sept 1. [Photo/China Daily]

According to the program, the autonomous vehicle pilot services, led by Guangzhou Public Transport Group, will be launched in Haizhu and Huangpu districts as well as the Pazhou Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Pilot Zone. The program will last till December 2023.

Fifty unmanned buses are scheduled to hit the road on two loop lines along the Canton Tower in Haizhu district and Guangzhou International Bio Island in Huangpu district, respectively. They are expected to operate more than 1.5 million kilometers and carry over one million passengers.

And a total of 210 self-driving passenger cars will be put into operation in the Pazhou Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Pilot Zone, which is forecast to run up to four million kilometers and more than 200,000 hours, providing services to 300,000 residents.

Local authorities will draw up at least two technical guidelines or standard rules of autonomous driving based on the pilot program.