Mercedes-Benz has become the first international car manufacturer to receive approval from the Beijing municipal government to conduct Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving tests on the city’s roads and expressways.
The approval allows Mercedes-Benz to test its L4 self-driving technology, which enables vehicles to handle most driving tasks independently without human intervention. These tests will cover various complex driving maneuvers, including parking, U-turns, navigating roundabouts, travelling through toll booths, and lane changes in response to slower traffic, according to a report from the South China Morning Post.
Mercedes-Benz says their vehicles are equipped with advanced sensor technology and system redundancy, allowing them to execute a “minimal-risk strategy” in emergencies, ensuring they can safely stop under extreme circumstances.
This approval is noteworthy because it is the first time a foreign car manufacturer has been granted permission for L4 testing in Beijing since the city updated its regulations to support the development of autonomous driving technology. Prior to this, only domestic companies like Baidu, Hongqi, and WeRide had been given the green light for L4 autonomous driving tests.
Beijing has been proactive in establishing itself as a hub for autonomous driving, designating over 1,160 kilometers of public roads for such trials, of which Mercedes-Benz is now included. As of February, 384 vehicles from 18 different companies had received approval to participate in these tests.
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In December, Mercedes-Benz had already received approval to test Level 3 (L3) autonomous vehicles in Beijing, where human drivers must be ready to take over in certain conditions. The German automaker also has approval in California and Nevada for L3 driving.
While Mercedes-Benz has approval for L4 testing, Tesla is still in the process of obtaining its Full Self-Driving (FSD) test license in China. Following Elon Musk’s visit to the country in April, there was speculation that Tesla might soon receive approval to operate a fully autonomous robotaxi business. However, as of now, no official permissions have been granted.
