Beijing’s self-driving cars will receive legislative guarantees on the road. Recently, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economics and Information Technology released the Beijing Self-Driving Vehicle Regulations (Draft for Comments) Ask for advice. The city plans to support the use of self-driving vehicles in urban travel services such as urban electric bus passenger transportation, online ride-hailing, and car rental.
The relevant person in charge of the Municipal Economic and Information Bureau said that the city will focus on solving the main problems faced by autonomous vehicle innovation activities in specific areas through legislation, and on the basis of adhering to the bottom line of safety, provide L3 and above autonomous vehicle market entities with Clear, transparent, and predictable institutional norms.
Go on the road in a safe and step-by-step manner
In September 2020, Beijing took the lead in planning and building the country's first high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone, and carried out key technology verification of the vehicle-road-cloud integrated system around the five elements of the "vehicle-road cloud network map". Nowadays, citizens can order self-driving "taxi" with one click in the demonstration area. There are also self-driving minibuses in operation around the three major cultural buildings in the city's sub-center, as well as unmanned retail vehicles, unmanned patrol vehicles, and unmanned sweepers. Waiting for everyone to hit the road.
“Currently, the Beijing High-level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone has issued road test licenses to 31 test car companies, and the mileage of autonomous driving tests exceeds 28 million kilometers.” The relevant person in charge of the Municipal Economic and Information Bureau disclosed that in order to further enhance The city's autonomous vehicle technological innovation capabilities focus on solving the problems of commercial operation of autonomous vehicles. It is necessary to give full play to the implementation, supplementary and exploratory role of local legislation to provide both certainty and openness for the development of autonomous vehicle innovation activities. The management framework provides a strong legal guarantee for promoting the high-quality development of the autonomous vehicle industry.
The draft for comments sets out a wealth of application scenarios for self-driving cars. Self-driving vehicles that comply with the relevant regulations of the state and this city can carry out innovative activities such as road testing, demonstration applications, demonstration operations, and road transportation service pilots in accordance with the principles of ensuring safety and proceeding step by step. This city plans to support autonomous vehicles for: urban electric bus passenger transportation, taxi passenger transportation (online car-hailing), car rental and other urban travel services, road cargo transportation except for dangerous goods transportation, ferry connections, sanitation cleaning, and public security Patrol and other city operation guarantees, as well as other application scenarios supported by the state and this city.
It is planned to implement a declaration and confirmation system for road testing, demonstration applications and demonstration operations. Enterprises must apply to the competent authorities in accordance with regulations and obtain a temporary driving license plate for experimental motor vehicles issued by the public security and traffic control department before they can operate in accordance with regulations.Carry out road testing, demonstration applications, and demonstration operation activities in various areas and roads.
Safety officers can be deployed remotely
“Autonomous driving vehicles are an important direction for the development of the automobile industry and a key project in the construction of a global digital economy benchmark city. They will help promote the city’s industrial transformation and upgrading, accelerate the cultivation and development of new productive forces, and promote the capital’s high-tech, sophisticated industries. Quality development plays an important role,” said the relevant person in charge.
The specific scope of areas and roads for autonomous vehicles will be initially formulated by the Municipal Economic and Information Bureau and other relevant departments in accordance with the principles of ensuring safety and convenient management, combined with factors such as autonomous driving related technology and product development, traffic impact, social opinions and other factors. It will be announced to the public after approval by the Municipal People's Government. The city also supports the full opening of areas with complete intelligent roadside infrastructure, and opens key application scenarios in phases and by area.
A "smart car" needs a "smart road" to run. Within this year, the city will achieve full coverage of 600 square kilometers of intelligent roadside infrastructure. According to the draft for comments, the city’s new, renovated, and expanded roads should also reserve space for intelligent roadside infrastructure; at the same time, full use of existing roadside infrastructure for intelligent transformation and upgrading is also encouraged.
Do self-driving cars need safety guards? Currently, self-driving "taxi" have begun unmanned testing in Beijing's self-driving demonstration zone, and safety officers have gradually transitioned from the main driver to the co-driver, rear seat, and remote control outside the vehicle. The draft for comments clarifies that autonomous vehicles should be used to carry out innovative activities and be equipped with drivers or safety officers in accordance with relevant national regulations. However, the reporter noticed that autonomous driving safety officers can be deployed remotely.
The driver or remote safety officer will monitor the operating status of the self-driving car and the surrounding environment. If it is found that the self-driving car is in a state that is not suitable for self-driving or the system prompts that manual takeover is required, the driver or remote safety officer will take over the self-driving car in a timely manner and take necessary safety measures. measure.
The person responsible for the driverless accident will be compensated
Autonomous driving violations and accident handling have attracted much attention. This time it was also proposed that if a traffic violation occurs while a self-driving car is driving on the road, the public security and traffic control department will handle and identify it in accordance with current laws and regulations. If there is a driver in the car, the driver will be dealt with in accordance with the law; if there is no driver in the car, the owner and manager of the vehicle will be dealt with.
If a self-driving car breaks down or a traffic accident occurs, and there is a driver in the car, the driver should stop the car immediately to protect the scene; if it causes personal injury or death, the driver should immediately rescue the injured person and call the police quickly. If there is no driver in the car, the remote safety officer should immediately call the police.
If a vehicle is involved in a road traffic accident when the autonomous driving system function is not activated, the vehicle shall be held responsible in accordance with the current regulations; if a road traffic accident occurs when the autonomous driving system is activated, resulting in personal casualties or property losses, if the autonomous driving system is responsible, the vehicle shall The owner and manager shall be liable for compensation.
The media learned that this city plans toRegularly evaluate the overall situation of autonomous vehicle innovation activities every year, form an annual report and make it public. The annual report includes the implementation of innovative measures related to autonomous vehicles, the impact on road traffic efficiency, public travel patterns, the development of the automobile industry and innovative technology, good practical experience and shortcomings.
(Source: Beijing Daily Client)
Editor in charge: Gao Xu