Chinese officials have expressed that they intend to expand investments into self-driving vehicles in hopes of making them a $72 billion industry by 2025.
The General Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government released a plan on Monday outlining a goal to expand its autonomous driving investments and developments. The developments are being proposed as China and the United States clash over innovation policies.
The plan calls for the establishment of a “domestically leading innovation and development system” for intelligent vehicles and for the city to make “significant progress in the research and development of core technologies” and achieve “self-sufficiency of core equipment,” according to a copy acquired by the South China Morning Post.
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The plan also called for companies to expand their research and development of relevant technologies, including auto chips, AI algorithms, laser-radar components, and other parts.
China wants to see its autonomous driving developments accelerate significantly. Most autonomous vehicles in China are categorized as “L2” or “L2+,” which require the driver to be alert and able to take control of the vehicle at any time. The new plan calls for researchers to improve its product so that cars can operate on the “L3” and “L4” levels, which are hands-off and eyes-off.
The office promises to increase the city’s policy support for the technology and to provide government guidance and funding.
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The plan is part of a larger effort by Shanghai organizers to help the city recover from the extended COVID-19 lockdown in late spring 2022. Local authorities unveiled a plan last week to improve and accelerate the development of artificial intelligence. The funding is also relevant to Shanghai’s exports, as Tesla has its Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai. Tesla has continued to invest in its self-driving car software as a major feature for the company’s future.
