Changan Automobile vice president Li Wei recently announced that the California Department of Motor Vehicles has granted the Chongqing-based automaker permission to test self-driving vehicles on public roads.  Changan, like many global automakers, is committing resources to innovating in the autonomous sphere.

Li asserted, "The permit will speed our development of self-driving technologies."

Applicants for autonomous vehicle certificates must demonstrate the ability to operate safely in traffic as required by California's compliance authority.  They must also remit a $5 million security deposit.

Changan's test vehicles currently have Level 3 autonomous functionality.  This enables the car or SUV to monitor the driving environment.  Acceleration, steering, and braking are handled by the vehicle itself, but the driver must be ready to intervene if an unusual or emergency situation should arise.

Changan is engaged in a partnership with Chinese tech giant Baidu to jointly develop vehicle intelligence technologies.  Baidu, which already has a presence in Silicon Valley, is expected to work with Changan's autonomous vehicle program in California.

In 2016, Changan completed an autonomous test drive that traversed more than 1,200 miles from Chongqing to Beijing.

21 November 2017