Raphael Thys
image credits: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s carmakers are producing driverless vehicles these automobiles can park themselves. Dozens of Chinese car manufacturers are fielding driverless vehicles making the most of the advances in technology. These automated vehicles may not have gone mainstream yet but are getting more and more attention each day.
Driverless vehicles became a fixture of many of China’s online delivery companies to lessen the burden of getting products to the market as reported on OpenGov Asia. Of course, the level of sophistication for different car manufacturers with regard to their driverless car vary. With similar functions available in the Chinese market from domestic and international carmakers have cars that need clear parking guidelines to park themselves.
It’s a big advantage. Many find parking to be a harder task when driving a car. One car owner detailed that driving was easy, but parking was so difficult for her. Further, she added that like many other new drivers, she found it a different experience from what we were taught at the training school. She became anxious when there were other vehicles behind her.
“Without these guidance lines, it doesn’t know what to do and I have to do it myself, but fortunately, there are now more delineated parking lots. I have also become better at parking,” said a self-driving car owner
Some of these vehicles allow drivers to get out before driving themselves to parking lots. Plus, they return to collect owners when summoned with the touch of a phone. According to one Chinese carmaker, such tasks can be performed when a driver is within 150 meters of a vehicle. Moreover, the car has to be driven at least once in the parking lot so that it can remember the way and the pickup point.
Many of these car brands use one of the biggest Chinese internet giant’s smart driving solutions, while other carmakers have developed their own. Such functions are classified at Level 2 in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International’s six-level system of driving automation, with Level 0 designating no automation and Level 6 fully automated.
Level 2 functions, including automatic parking and cruise control, are the highest level of automation that carmakers worldwide are currently allowed to offer. Known as the advanced driver-assistance system, or ADAS, these functions are fast becoming standard in new vehicle launches in China, especially in electric models. An industry expert said that the survival of carmakers in an increasingly competitive market depends on their ability to produce smart vehicles.
One brand’s sedan, which started deliveries late last month, boasts 33 sensors, including cameras and radar, and also features four intelligent chips designed by a United States company for vehicles with a high level of automation.
Image credit: iitbombay; Twitter
