Autonomous cars in China can navigate chaotic city traffic with human-like precision, even parking themselves when the occupants have gone. Recently Bernd Woltermann, head of driver assistance systems development at Mercedes in China talked to the South China Morning Post about his extraordinary experience.
The working day has just ended and all hell has broken loose in the Beijing sub-district of Sanlitun. Half of the Chinese capital’s population seems to be out and about, and the shopping and entertainment district is buzzing. The pavements are packed, as are the cycle lanes. On the road, cars and buses idle while the traffic lights are red. When they go green, everyone surges forward at once, creating utter chaos. Despite the mayhem, Bernd Woltermann sits completely relaxed in his Mercedes CLA, unfazed by the hustle and bustle. He is a passenger in his own car; as soon as he has activated the sat-nav and instructed the car to take over, the electronics guide him through the city maze. The tech makes the car change lanes, stop at red lights and set off again. It even cheekily uses the cycle lane when traffic is at a standstill.
Woltermann is keen to point out that the driver is in charge at all times and that using a mobile phone at the wheel remains strictly forbidden. Having said that, the driver only needs to touch the steering wheel now and again. Woltermann describes this “point-to-point navigation” as the next step towards an autopilot, for which the term “Level 2++” has also become established. “In fact, all new Mercedes models since the CLA are available with it in China,” Woltermann says. The optional extra costs around USD1,440. In Germany, Mercedes prides itself on being a pioneer in highly automated driving technology, and it was the first and only manufacturer to get approval for fully hands-free driving on the motorway. In China, however, the German firm is a latecomer, and it joins a whole range of vehicles on offer that take a great deal of the work off the driver’s hands.
Chinese manufacturer Xpeng, for example, has equipped its entire fleet similarly, and has configured the systems to be less defensive. Anyone driving an Xpeng P7 through Beijing will find themselves changing lanes more often, cutting into traffic a little more, turning later or merging earlier and not being prompted to take control quite as early or as frequently. The serene journey through the dense city is made possible by a sophisticated system comprising radar and cameras, ultra-fast chips and artificial intelligence (AI). After many millions of test kilometers, the system has learned to drive like a human, says one developer.
Even the more cautious assistant versions don’t navigate timidly through rush-hour traffic like a novice driver. Their progress is smooth and confident, just like a driver with years of experience. Unlike in a Mercedes, deliberate breaches of the rules are possible with an Xpeng, because in Beijing you will not make any headway unless you occasionally veer onto a cycle path or cross a normally taboo solid white line.
One of the biggest players in the Chinese market is Huawei Technologies, which has formed and leads Hima (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) and provides a wide range of brands with the hardware and software for very similar functions. Away from moving traffic, cars thus equipped can do much more, just like numerous Chinese cars and now even the first VW models developed in China for the Chinese market. These robot-assisted cars take complete control of parking and can do so even after the driver has left the vehicle. All you have to do is select a proposed parking space on the screen, and the cars maneuver themselves into the space.
Until now, Europeans have had to look to China when it comes to this level of driverless sophistication. This is because Brussels and Berlin have long held back the introduction of this tech, but things are slowly starting to happen. “We’ll be launching in the first cities in Germany before the end of this year,” Jorg Burzer, development head at Mercedes-Benz, said in the spring. He plans to roll out the system across Germany and Europe in 2027. The Chinese are also well geared up for Europe. The Xpeng P7+, the European counterpart to the test car from Beijing, has all the cameras and sensors required for such systems on board and can be activated accordingly, says Spokesman Bernhard Voss. Brands such as Nio, BYD and Denza have long since implemented the technology in China and can easily transfer it to Europe.
Experts are watching the developments with interest. “From a technological point of view, what’s happening right now is fascinating. The technology is not just reserved for a privileged few. “With moderate price premiums and rapid adoption across a wide range of segments, a large number of motorists are set to benefit from it,” Robin Horning, Editor-in-Chief of trade magazine Auto Bild says. For all his enthusiasm, Horning is relieved that the Europeans are proceeding more cautiously than the Chinese – self-driving cars are not faultless. Sometimes they come to a halt, seemingly confused and unsure what to do next and they can brake at the last second, startling passengers. “This is not dangerous,” Horning says, “but it is sometimes irritating and annoying.”
