China expects smart cars with partial or full autonomous functions to account for 50 percent of new vehicles sold in the country by 2020－one of the most ambitious plans worldwide to push forward self-driving technologies. The blueprint, released by the National Development and Reform Commission on Friday, is part of the country's efforts to grow into a global power in smart car development and production by 2035.
China continues to set the pace when it comes to implementing new technology. The National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC, wants to implement artificial intelligence technology in at least half of all its new cars by 2020.
The government also plans to cover 90% of its large cities and highways with a wireless network so the cars can talk to each other and the roads, according to the government’s top economic planner.
These actions are part of a comprehensive national smart car strategy the NDRC is seeking public feedback for, it said in a statement. It’s part of the country’s plan to be the world leader in AI by 2025, with the goal of China’s automakers being seen as producing quality smart cars by 2035.
In order to perfect the legal system for self-driving technologies, the government will speed up the drafting of regulations for public road tests of autonomous driving and revise the current road safety regulations "when conditions are mature", according to the plan.
The commission expects China to basically finish a framework of smart car standards－ranging from technological innovation and infrastructure to legislation, production supervision and information safety－by 2020.
The NDRC also wants to build a national team with officials from the State Council to guide smart car innovation and planned to encourage the launch of preferential policies for related businesses which could include tax cuts.
The NDRC also said it hoped that China would gain a global reputation for quality smart cars by 2035.
It will also work to build a technological innovation system and integrated industry cluster for smart cars, and unveil relevant laws and regulations to encourage the sector, with an aim to grow its core AI industries to over 150 billion yuan or $22.15 billion by 2020. Smart cars are a key part of the project.
Private capital is invited to join the efforts, said the commission. It also suggests favorable tax and other financial policies for small and medium-sized companies and startups in smart cars.
The commission also encourages international cooperation to introduce advanced technologies, and it calls for Chinese companies to expand their global presence through mergers and joint ventures.
Chinese companies are also teaming up to develop smart cars. A total of 21 Chinese companies are planning a 1-billion-yuan or US$154 million joint venture that will specialize in research and development of such cars. Among investors are FAW Group Corp, Dongfeng Motor Corp, China Mobile, China Unicom and ride-sharing giant Didi Chuxing's parent company, Beijing Xiaoju Technology, according to Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corp, also a potential investor, in its filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange in late December.
China's first road section for testing autonomous vehicles will be launched in Yizhuang, a southern suburb of Beijing, the municipality's Commission of Transportation said. The capital city released the country's first guideline on road tests of autonomous vehicles last month.
