China's first closed testing field for self-driving cars was officially made operational in the Haidian district of Beijing on Feb 9.

Covering an area of about 200 mu (13.3 hectares), the test field was designed with a complex of urban and rural road environments, which can provide cars with hundreds of typical static and dynamic traffic scenarios.

Simulated situations such as background vehicles, pedestrians, turns, curves and sections of road under construction are part of the testing grounds, where passenger cars and some commercial vehicles can receive R & D testing and capacity assessment services.

A self-driving car of BAIC New Energy waits to be tested in the newly built closed testing field in Haidian district of Beijing on Feb 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Xia Shudong, head of the Beijing-Hebei Demonstration Zone of National Intelligent Vehicles and Smart Traffic, said that the test field requires vehicles to accurately detect simulated traffic environments, including traffic flow, people flow and some other challenges.

To pass the test, autonomous vehicles must fully meet safe driving requirements, not only those necessary for their own safety but also for the entire traffic system.

Self-driving vehicles can only be certified after they have passed the field tests and tests on actual roads.

Last December, Beijing released China's first guidelines for road tests of self-driving vehicles. The guidelines apply to independent entities (companies) registered in China.

A Foton automatic driverless super truck runs on the test field in Haidian district of Beijing on Feb 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Before road tests, companies must complete tests in designated closed zones. They can then apply to test up to five vehicles at a time.

A driver is required to sit in the driver's seat to take precautions against emergencies, the guidelines said.

Another closed test site in Yizhuang, a southern suburb of Beijing, has started construction, and is expected to be completed by the end of June this year.

Simulated road environments have been designed to test self-driving cars. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]