OnTime, the ride-hailing platform under GAC Group, has obtained regulatory approval for passenger-carrying autonomous vehicle demonstrations in Shenzhen, adding that city to the first one (Guangzhou). The OnTime Robotaxi aims to provide safe, comfortable, and convenient autonomous driving services. In June 2023 OnTime, Pony.ai, and the authorities of Shenzhen’s Qianhai Cooperation Zone signed a cooperation framework agreement, to establish a globally significant autonomous driving commercial pilot project.
IM Motors, the premium EV brand cofounded by SAIC Motor, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech, and Alibaba, announced that, starting January 23, their urban NOA (navigation on autopilot) will officially go live, with the primary urban area in Shanghai being the first to adopt this advanced intelligent driving feature. Activating urban NOA in designated city main roads allows for automated following of navigation paths, intelligent lane changes, turning at unprotected intersections, and obstacle avoidance. This year, IM Motors aims to expand the urban commute mode smart driving system to hundreds of cities, introducing advanced features like One-Key AI Valet 2.0, Memory Parking, and Automated Multilevel Parking.
AC’s Toyota Sienna Robotaxi, equipped with Pony.ai’s sixth-generation AD system, secured commercial demonstration operation approval in Guangzhou’s Nansha district. The operational range covers the entire 803 square kilometers of Nansha district. 15 of the robotaxis are included in the OnTime ride-share platform. It marks the second vehicle in Pony.ai’s collaboration with OnTime, following the successful operation of the Lexus RX Robotaxi.
GAC Group secured an L3 autonomous vehicle test license in Guangzhou at the end of 2023, which allows the company to conduct trials on designated highway and expressways in the city. GAC Group’s TJP system facilitates lane centering and speed and distance maintenance, applicable at speeds up to 80 km/h, enabling drivers to divert attention from the steering wheel to other tasks while the system operates autonomously.
Avatr, the vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan, Huawei, and CATL, officially put the Avatr 11 (“one one”) Harmony Upgraded Edition onto the market, with a price range of C¥ 300,000 to 390,000 (USD $42,00 to $55,000), including support for NCA (Navigation Cruise Assist) that operates independent of high-precision maps. In daily commuting scenarios, the map-free NCA autonomously plans routes for traffic-controlled areas, construction zones, and tidal lanes. The Avatr 11 has three lidar units as standard and advanced features like valet parking assistance.
Xpeng announced the extended reach of their XNGP (Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot) intelligent assisted driving system, with the urban intelligent driving capabilities now encompassing 191 more cities, expanding the total coverage to 243 cities nationwide. Xpeng’s official statement highlights the immediate integration of this enhanced functionality into the Xmart OS 4.5.0 system for existing users of the G9, G6, and P7i models. As long as users drive within the supported areas, they can seamlessly experience this cutting-edge driving assistance technology.
WeRide, in partnership with Guangzhou Bus Group, launched China’s inaugural paid commercial shuttle service in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong Province. WeRide and Guangzhou Bus Group initiated a fleet of 50 Robobuses for commercial operations, serving the central areas of Guangzhou. WeRide’s successful Robobus implementation in Guangzhou has been replicated in 19 cities globally, including Beijing, Wuxi, Nanjing, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore.
Cruise has publicly released the Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan report detailing findings about the incident in San Francisco last October, when a Cruise AV hit and dragged a pedestrian, which prompted regulators to suspend Cruise’s driverless permits in California. Key findings from the review include Cruise’s initial unawareness of the AV’s action of dragging the pedestrian post-collision, and a later failure to update the press and regulators with complete information. It found that the technical cause was the AV’s misclassification of the collision, leading to an inappropriate response. Cruise has since updated their software.
Huawei’s automaking partner Seres has secured L3 autonomous vehicle test licenses in both Chongqing and Shenzhen cities. This adds them to the list of automakers with such licenses in China, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, IM Motors, Arcfox, Changan Deepal, and BYD. The Aito M9 uses the Huawei ADS 2.0 advanced intelligent driving system, and the Huawei 192-line lidar, along with radars, cameras, ultrasonic radar, and other sensors. Huawei’s novel 192-line lidar offers a 250-meter range, 1.84 million points per second imaging capability, and a vertical resolution of 0.1°.
Ji Yue, the automotive robot brand jointly developed by Baidu and Geely, announced expanded coverage of their advanced urban intelligent driving capabilities to Beijing, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou. The Point-to-Point Autopilot (PPA) function is currently available in Shanghai, covering major roads in the city and extending to 90 per cent of the national highways across China. Ji Yue’s advanced urban intelligent driving functions will progressively extend its coverage to over 200 cities nationwide.
Zeekr showed off their robotaxi built for Waymo, following an agreement signed in late 2021. The vehicle starts with SEA-M, a refined version the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) meant for “future mobility products”. The robotaxi network plans to deploy the purpose-built EVs in four US cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin. Zeekr cars, equipped with driver assistance systems from Mobileye, will also be sold in Europe as early as S2-2023. The cars will be equipped with six EyeQ 5 chips from Mobileye for L4 autonomous driving.
Ryder System and Kodiak Robotics recently unveiled their first collaborative venture: a truckport in Houston designed for autonomous trucks. Kodiak’s trucks currently operate with safety drivers on routes including Houston to Dallas and Houston to Oklahoma City. The company anticipates introducing its first driverless operations on the Dallas-Houston route later this year, utilizing the Ryder facility as a launch point.
The state of California plans the introduction of two key bills, part of the broader California Automotive Regulatory Standards (CARS) Package. This legislation aims to address both safety and employment regarding AV deployment. An upcoming assembly bill will require a trained human operator for AVs exceeding 10,000 lbs. Additionally, Senate Bill 915 mandates that AV companies secure local approval before launching operations in a municipality. The proliferation of AV might have an impact on employment. In California alone, around 200,000 professional drivers could be affected.
