The latest self-driving bus equipped with 5G communications -- and Beidou high-precision positioning technologies -- was put through its paces when journalists from home and abroad caught a ride on it recently in the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle (Wuhan) Test and Demonstration Zone, according to local media reports.
The intelligent connected vehicle zone, located in Junshan Street in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone -- or WHDZ -- is China’s only demonstration zone for multi-scenario smart car applications.
Local officials said the test run took place on Oct 23 in the Wuhan zone.
The bus can accommodate eight passengers. Lidar -- the remote sensing method using laser light pulses to measure target distances -- and sensors equipped on the bus can detect passengers’ movements and automatically close the door once passengers are on board.
After the bus started, driving, steering and shifting were automatically operated. A security officer sat in the cab in case of any unexpected situations, to ensure safe driving.
The planned total area of the zone is 90 square kilometers and the test road’s length is 159 km. The park is expected to boast residential areas, commercial areas, logistics areas, tourist scenic spots and industrial areas.
Officials said a new 28-kilometer test road for intelligent road network vehicle demonstrations and applications has been completed.
They said it is the first intelligent network-connected vehicle demonstration area based on the full coverage by the 5G communications technology V2X vehicle road coordination system in China.
Auto-driving scenarios of various models such as buses, sanitation vehicles, taxis, and logistics vehicles have been added.
Officials said it has attracted more than 40 auto companies to locate there, from home and abroad.
