The roads of China’s silicon valley, popularly known as Shenzhen are getting closer to robotaxis. Here’s more on truly driverless cars.
Driverless cars roll on Shenzhen roads
In the recent past, the roads of Shenzhen have been the host to several driverless cars or autonomous vehicles (AV). However, they are not truly driverless as they function with a safety driver. However, the government unveiled a set of rules that will move the AV vehicle sector and is getting them closer. The nation’s most detailed AV legislation is implemented in Shenzhen, a city with a population of 18 million people. Until now, Robotaxis were permitted in Chinese cities on a limited basis. However, the new rules establish liability in case of accidents.
Starting Monday, registered AVs are permitted to drive without a driver in the driver’s seat. However, a driver must be present in the vehicle. This is not true driverless but it’s a big milestone. If you want more cars, eventually there will be accidents, so these regulations are very important for mass deployment,” stated Maxwell Zhou. Zhou is the CEO of DeepRoute. The self-driving tech firm based in Fremont, California, and Shenzhen focuses on popularizing robotaxis and urban logistics.
More on the regulations regarding AVs
Based on the new rules and regulations, in case of an accident involving a robotaxi, the driver will be held accountable. The owner of the AV will also be liable if the vehicle is driverless. However, the owner can pursue compensation from the manufacturer if manufacturing defects are the reason behind the accident. In the past year, about 50,000 people took trial rides on hundreds of robotaxis in Shenzhen.
“In Shenzhen, the capital cost is one-third of California because we have the battery suppliers, we have the sensors, we have most of the integration. But the revenue is one-twelfth of California, so it might not be a fancy business to do,” stated David Chang. Chang is the founder and CEO of Whale Dynamic, a Shenzhen-based autonomous delivery start-up. “We don’t want to shrink ourselves into a well and fight with other frogs. We want to jump out of that well,” added Chang. The industry in China‘s southern tech hub is shifting gears as AVs are becoming a “regular sight”.