Facing fierce competition in China’s auto market, automakers like Mercedes Benz are turning to autonomous driving technology to gain a competitive edge and attract more customers.
Mercedes-Benz has announced that it is the first international car manufacturer to receive approval for testing advanced autonomous driving in Beijing. This development comes as both domestic and global carmakers are striving to perfect autonomous driving technology.
With this approval, Mercedes-Benz can begin trials of its Level 4 self-driving technology on Beijing’s highways and urban roads. Level 4 autonomy allows vehicles to handle all driving tasks under specific conditions, with the option for human override. The tests will include complex maneuvers such as parking, reversing, and making left turns in heavy traffic without driver intervention, as stated in the company’s official WeChat account on August 2.
As competition in China’s auto market intensifies, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on autonomous driving to differentiate themselves and attract more customers. Tesla is also aiming to introduce its Full Self-Driving technology in China and has obtained permission to test it in certain areas of Shanghai. Similarly, General Motors received approval last year to test self-driving Cadillacs in Shanghai.
In addition to traditional automakers, technology companies like Alphabet’s Waymo and Baidu’s Apollo Go are developing robotaxis, which they are testing in cities such as San Francisco and Wuhan as a vision for the future of mobility.
Currently, Chinese regulations allow for Level 2 automation, where a vehicle can manage steering, acceleration, and lane changes, but requires the driver to monitor the driving and keep their hands on the wheel at all times. Mercedes-Benz offers its Drive Pilot system, a Level 3 autonomous driving option, on public roads in Europe, particularly in Germany, and in some U.S. states. This system enables the car to take over driving functions under certain conditions, allowing the driver to focus on other tasks, such as responding to emails.
