Sichuan's first demonstration lines for commercial use of self-driving vehicles launched in Chengdu

Citizens in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, can take autonomous driving vehicles for free for commuting or sightseeing for a month.

The Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone in Longquanyi district, Chengdu, kicked off a commercial trial of large-scale demonstration operation of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) on Oct 30, officially starting its comprehensive cooperation with Dongfeng USharing Technology Co Ltd (Dongfeng USharing) on the construction of Sichuan's first commercialized demonstration use of self-driving vehicles.

A total of 20 self-driving shuttle buses and 16 Robotaxis will be put into service for the demonstration operation in certain areas of Longquanyi district, according to an official of the district.

Equipped with a camera, lidar and other types of sensors, as well as other hardware and software for autonomous driving, the self-driving vehicles can reach level 4 autonomous driving capabilities. They are able to recognize obstacles, traffic lights, overtake other vehicles, and achieve fully automated driving on urban roads.

Each vehicle is also staffed with a safety operator, who can handle any unexpected situations encountered during driving.

Dongfeng USharing has planned two demonstration lines spanning over 30 kilometers for these autonomous driving vehicles. There are 16 smart bus stops along the lines, a reliable source said.

"The demonstration lines are currently in trial operations. They are expected to officially open at the end of this year, when citizens can learn how to take a ride in these vehicles through our app," said a Dongfeng USharing executive.

Aiming to lead the way in China in the application of intelligent driving technologies by exploring a new model of public transport services centered on the integration of vehicles, roads, online platforms, smart stations, and application scenarios, the Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone has created operational scenarios of autonomous driving with over 50 vehicles.

The zone has completed the construction of four lines with a total length of 55 kilometers for the trial operations, and demonstration operations of self-driving vehicles, including the two demonstration lines operated by Dongfeng USharing.

Beyond transportation, the zone has also created demonstration application scenarios of self-driving street cleaning vehicles, vending vehicles and sightseeing vehicles at Dong'an Lake Sports Park, initially shaping an industrial ecosystem integrating complete vehicle production, manufacturing of smart components and parts, testing and verification of simulation technologies, standards formulation, road testing, and demonstration applications.