China’s quest for a future filled with driverless cars is rapidly advancing, with an increasing number of autonomous vehicles taking to the roads in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
One such example is the deployment of over 50 self-driving taxis that have commenced commercial operations, offering commuters a novel and affordable transportation option.
“A driverless taxi offers a different experience at affordable prices. I, for one, have started to incorporate these driverless taxis into my daily commute whenever possible,” a female commuter explains.
Local officials in Wuhan have granted several hundred permits to tech companies and car manufacturers, and are actively designating more test roads for autonomous vehicles as they accelerate their efforts towards a city filled with self-driving cars.
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A local official has revealed Wuhan’s ambitious plans for a driverless city, setting two major goals for 2025. The first objective is to convert at least 50% of the city’s roads into smart roads, while the second goal is to ensure that at least half of all newly produced cars come equipped with level three or higher-level autonomous driving technology.
“We have set two goals for 2025. First, transform at least half of the rows in Wuhan into smart rows. Second, at least half of all newly produced cars will come equipped with level three or higher-level autonomous driving technology,” he said.
According to the global standardization body SAE, the international driving automation levels range from zero to five, with level five indicating fully autonomous driving capabilities.
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