China released safety guidelines on Tuesday for the deployment of autonomous vehicles in public transport.
Byton semi-autonomous electric car – illustrative photo. Image credit: Rennett Stowe via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED license
This large-scale move marks another step in preparing for the increased use of driverless cars. The guidelines apply to autonomous vehicles used for passenger transport, including taxis, as well as for freight.
The news was announced officially, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport. The regulations cover vehicles with varying degrees of automation and stipulate that they must have at least one driver or security inspector on board.
Additionally, the guidelines mandate that companies employing autonomous vehicles for public transport must be qualified and licensed. At the same time, the guidelines allow collaboration between companies and automakers for such operations.
Safety guidelines are necessary for the deployment of autonomous vehicles in public transport to ensure the safety of passengers, pedestrians, and other road users. Autonomous vehicles operate using complex technologies, including sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence, and there is a need to establish standards and regulations to govern their safe operation.
The move is seen as potentially accelerating the adoption of autonomous driving technologies in China, providing a more pragmatic regulatory approach compared to the U.S. where regulations may target software developers directly.
China has been actively working on establishing standards and regulations for autonomous driving, aiming to support assisted and autonomous driving functions by 2025 and introducing a safety assurance system by 2030.
Autonomous vehicles interact with the public, and any malfunctions or errors could lead to accidents. Safety guidelines are essential to minimize the risk of accidents and ensure the protection of passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers.
Written by Alius Noreika