The Beijing government is doing its part to help promote the implementation of self-driving cars by building a local road specifically for their use.
A spokesperson for the city's transportation committee made the announcement on a radio show, specifying that the road will be located to the southeast of the city center in Yizhuang, but gave no further details.
The spokesperson explained the construction of the new road as a "handshake" between technology and real-world conditions, signifying that things like traffic signals and signs must be more visible to help facilitate the "coordination between road and car."
According to the policy, the self-driving test vehicles must be equipped with both an automatic and manual mode, and be staffed by a test driver who is legally responsible for the test car's acts.
READ: Baidu's CEO Races Ahead With Beijing Self-Driving Car Demo, Now Being Investigated
The announcement comes on the heels of two policies approved last month by municipal lawmakers that help promote self-driving technology.
The new road is expected to attract the return of Chinese companies like Baidu that have left for the USA to do testing and research after complaining that bureaucratic red tape has slowed their efforts.
Instead of a cautious pace advised by authorities, Chinese companies have forged ahead with their trials, sometimes even without government approval. Baidu came under fire last summer when police threatened to investigate a real-time self-driving car demonstration that featured CEO Robin Li.
Before the December legislation, Chinese traffic laws and regulations did not permit driverless vehicles on Chinese roads.
The new road signifies smooth sailing for China's beleaguered tech companies.
"Beijing’s new rule – whose standards parallel US standards – represents a milestone step for the industry,” said industry legal expert He Shanshan.
With numerous tech companies competing around the world to be the first to bring this nascent and lucrative technology to market, other experts are warning that China may be making sacrifices in order to win the upper hand.
Former R&D head for GM Motors Larry Burns said that China may beat the rest of the world to market because it "doesn’t necessarily have to have the debate to reach a conclusion."
Beijing has hosted self-driving car trials before, notably when Baidu tested an autonomous BMW vehicle on the city's Fifth Ring Road in 2015.
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