Mercedes-Benz gets permission to test self-driving cars in China

Car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz to test self-driving cars in China; the company has obtained a license for this. The cars will be driving in Beijing, and will test technology from Baidu, which will be integrated in the vehicles.

This was announced by the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, in a press release issued on Friday. To qualify for a license in China, Daimler had to meet a number of requirements; in addition to using Chinese technology, via Baidu, there had to be tested for a while in the National Pilot Zone.

Daimler will test cars from its subsidiary Mercedes-Benz that can drive completely independently. This is happening in the streets of the Chinese capital Beijing, and the cars are accompanied by a driver, who can intervene in case of emergency. The exact test plan was not disclosed, so it is not clear when the Mercedes-Benz cars should have completed the tests.

There was already approval in Germany and the United States for testing self-driving cars, but it is more difficult for Western companies to test in China. Daimler is even the first non-Chinese company to get permission to test self-driving cars.