BMW Expands Driverless Tech Testing in China

BMW hopes to tap into China’s advanced testing of driverless car technology following the granting of permission to test its Level 3 automated driving system on more Shanghai roads.

The automaker, already allowed to test its systems on designated highways in its home nation of Germany, expects to augment its system’s experience with data gleaned from real-world testing on busy city streets.

A statement released by the automaker says it will launch products fitted with Level 3 self-driving capability when they can do so in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations.

The license is expected to increase access to the areas BMW will be able to test its advanced autonomous driving technologies in Shanghai. In 2018 the automaker won a license to run tests on designated 5.6 km (3.5 miles) of public streets in the city.

China is seen as being the country with the most aggressively pro-driverless technology and earlier this month issued safety guidelines for the use of autonomous vehicles in public transport.