- Testing will start with two 7 Series mules
- The company will be able to use around 5.6km of test area in Shanghai
In the wake of the autonomous uprising, manufacturers are trying their best to outdo one another and be the first to get a fully autonomous car on the roads. But in order to do that, testing the cars is pretty much the most important parameter for a manufacturer. While cars are being tested in different countries, BMW has become the first worldwide carmaker to obtain a Shanghai Intelligent Connected Autonomous Driving Test License, allowing it to put self-driving vehicles through their paces on Chinese roads.
Although it has demonstrated Level 3 autonomous technology under closed, Government-supervised conditions on a stretch of Chengdu highway in 2016, the license opens the door for more advanced testing. Under the new license, the company will be able to use around 5.6km of test area in Shanghai for Level 4 automated testing, although that area is expected to expand.
Prioritizing safety, the local team in Shanghai will be made up of 60 self-driving experts. The company claims it has covered 30,000km of testing on public roads and more than 200,000km in computer simulations.
