Daimler to be the first international car manufacturer formally allowed highly automated road tests in Beijing

Daimler is the first transnational car manufacturer that can pride itself on a major success in developing automated driving. Daimler cars with fourth level of driving autonomy will be the first such cars manufactured by a transnational company to drive on the streets of Beijing. The complex traffic of Beijing will contribute to the development of advanced cars from Mercedes-Benz.

Beijing is not the first location for Daimler to perform tests of autonomous cars on public roads. Before obtaining the permission to test self-driving cars on the streets of Bejing, the vehicles had to be tested in a closed-off area. Those tests were performed in the so called National Pilot Zone. Granting road access to autonomous Daimler cars in Beijing is part of the innovations currently introduced in China. Automated vehicles are supposed to bring higher comfort, but most off all – make traffic safer. For long Daimler has been the trend-setter when it comes to safety standards in the automotive industry.

Quite soon we might expect to see new models of automated cars.

Not just those with fourth level of autonomy, but also models capable of fully autonomous driving. Limousines, for instance of the S class, have been equipped with state-of-the-art solutions. Thanks to this drivers of such vehicles can make use of the autonomous driving feature. New cars are also fitted with an array of sensors, making the car system capable of reacting appropriately to unforeseen situations that might occur on the roads.

Entering the Chinese market with tests of autonomous cars, Daimler is at the same time beginning to cooperate with local companies. Badu happens to be one of those companies that the brand responsible for Mercedes-Benz has chosen to cooperate with in research intended to further develop automated vehicles. The latter in turn are hoped to contribute to safer driving. The project advanced in team with Baidu will utilize the Apollo platform. This is an open source platform prepared with advanced passenger cars in mind.

Since 2012 Daimler has also been working with the Tsinghua University on sustainable transport. All the activities are taking place in a jointly owned research center. In effect, multiple solutions have appeared improving the safety not just of the drivers, but also of other traffic participants. Digital technologies enable, for instance, the creation of simulated impact tests, the results of which will help in enhancing the functioning of safety systems present in the new, automated cars from Mercedes-Benz.

Daimler has been active locally in China since 2005.

Since then the technology has advanced considerably. This is why the vehicles developed therein already utilize the newest solutions. Daimler promises to continue the investment and development of the local projects being in the works within China. All in order to make available vehicles with the most refined technologies not just in that particular country, but all over the world as well.

Sustainable development is to be afforded by appropriately introduced innovations. This will allow to meet the demands and supply the customers with tailor-made services and solutions. It seems China has grown a bit jealous of California and the latter’s tests of self-driving cars. Hence their own invitation of multinational players of the car industry. Perhaps soon enough China will witness tests of vehicles delivered by car brands from remaining areas of the world as well. After all we are living in a time when tests of automated, and fully autonomous, vehicles are not limited anymore to confined roads and testing grounds.