City pilots ICV application demos

Self-driving buses are seen at a pilot base for autonomous vehicles at Futian Bonded Zone. DT News

Three intelligently connected vehicle (ICV) application demonstrations are encouraged to be conducted at semi-closed independent function areas in the city, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported yesterday.

The three applications to be demonstrated are: manned transport, sanitation and cleaning and goods delivery and special operations.

The second batch of ICV application demonstrations on semi-open roads will also be released soon for ICVs testing, according to a guide on promoting application demonstrations of ICV, jointly released by the city’s transport bureau, development and reform commission, industry and information technology bureau and traffic police bureau.

The semi-closed function areas include university campuses, ports, logistic parks, industrial parks, public green spaces and tourist attractions.

The manned transport scenario refers to nonprofit manned transport tests conducted on designated open roads where ICVs are used as carriers.

The demonstration of sanitation and cleaning is a nonprofit test on ICV-based unmanned cleaning and unmanned water spray works conducted on designated open roads.

The third scenario, which is goods delivery and other special operations, refers to a nonprofit cargo transportation (except dangerous goods) and other special operation tests carried out on designated open roads using an ICV as the carrier.

Test volunteers aged 18 years old or above can be recruited through online platforms such as mobile applications and WeChat miniprograms, Internet and media outlets.

Contracts should be signed between operators and volunteers after volunteers are fully briefed about test safety issues.

Operators should also buy required types of insurance for test volunteers and take effective measures to protect them from potential risks.

Moreover, operators should not charge volunteers any fees nor use the tests to make a profit.

Staff with the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau told the reporter that the purpose of the guide is to pilot ICV application demonstrations first so as to gradually achieve the commercial operation of ICV technology in the city.

They also suggested that Qianhai, Futian and Pingshan districts are actively promoting ICV application demonstrations.

The new policy coupled with more open roads will create a sound environment to develop ICV applications.

“Citizens can experience new technology and new traffic very soon,” said staff with the city’s transport bureau.