Beijing announces plans to boost driverless vehicle use

Tesla plans to introduce its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in China by early 2025, with plans to produce its own robotaxi in 2026
An undated image of a car under the manufacturing process. — Canva
An undated image of a car under the manufacturing process. — Canva 

Beijing is steering towards a driverless future with new regulations to increase the use of autonomous vehicles starting April 1.

From the second quarter of 2025, autonomous cars, buses, and taxis that meet safety and road-testing standards will be allowed to cruise down the city’s roads. This move is part of a broader plan to promote self-driving technology in China's capital.

The development comes in the wake of Beijing encouraging the development of smart road infrastructure to support these vehicles.

The authorities aim to enhance the use of driverless transport, including private cars, urban buses, and trams.

Consequently, China has been a leader in self-driving technology, with at least 19 cities already running trials for robotaxis and robot buses.

Leading the way are companies like Baidu’s Apollo Go, which plans to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in Wuhan by the end of 2024. Another player, Pony.ai, aims to grow its robotaxi fleet from 250 to over 1,000 nationwide by 2026.

Furthermore, Tesla plans to introduce its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in China by early 2025, with plans to produce its own robotaxi in 2026. Other firms, including WeRide, AutoX, and SAIC Motor, are also competing in the world’s largest auto market.

In a related development, Wuhan has approved its own set of regulations to advance intelligent connected vehicles.