(Yicai Global) July 15 -- China’s southern city of Guangzhou launched an autonomous vehicle pilot scheme that is scheduled to run five testing phases by 2025.

The trials will also be carried out in different parts of the city, under the premise of ensuring public safety. The municipal government has already set up a working group to supervise, according to the document released after yesterday’s inauguration ceremony.

Vehicles from autonomous driving firms will have to complete tests in mixed traffic flow environments while operating various services. Different levels of sensor detection will be also evaluated through the use of a cooperative vehicle infrastructure system.

The decision to launch the project was taken after a number of firms used unmanned vehicles to deliver goods and materials in areas of the city that were closed off during last month’s fight against an outbreak of Covid-19, Gao Yuyue, deputy secretary-general of the municipal government, said at the event yesterday.

Some of Guangzhou’s well-known autonomous driving companies are WeRide, Pony.ai, GAC Group, Baidu’s Autonomous Driving Unit and Didi Autonomous Driving.

Self-driving cars will proceed to the next testing stage only if after 180 days of zero accidents they pass the working group’s review. But the authorities will suspend or withdraw operating licenses if vehicles do not comply with regulations, cause traffic accidents or pose a danger to the public.

To join the program a number of requirements need to me met. First, participants must be registered in Guangzhou, with a minimum paid-in capital of CNY100 million (USD15.5 million). Moreover, the test period should be at least 24 months, covering a distance of no less than one million kilometers. Finally, the third phase should account for at least a fifth of the total distance driven, without losing control or causing any traffic accidents.

Edit: Futura Costaglione