(100 great changes) China's autonomous driving enters 'fast lane'

(ECNS) -- In September 2022, self-driving buses operated successfully along the Phoenix Avenue in South China's Guangzhou City.

This would have been unimaginable a decade ago. But now, China's autonomous driving has entered the "fast lane," with vehicles taking to the roads not just in Guangzhou, but also in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Changsha as well as many other Chinese cities.

In recent years, driverless vehicles have become more common and commercialized in China. The number of cars with autonomy functions at level 2 and above has increased significantly, making a step in the country's exploration of the commercialization of autonomous driving. In 2020, the 5G-powered level-4 autonomous vehicle, 100% Chinese-made, rolled off the production line.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China will accelerate integrated development of intelligent vehicles, smart roads and vehicle-road coordination technologies, to explore large-scale application of self-driving technologies.

Local authorities have also rolled out a series of supporting policies to expand the use of self-driving vehicles. Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha, and Shenzhen have launched pilot areas for self-driving vehicle services, to promote the commercialization of autonomous driving.

Driverless vehicles are booming in China and autonomous driving technologies are developing fast.