A self-driving bus drives in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone. [Photo/wedz-Redengine]
A national-level demonstration center for testing intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) is currently under construction in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) in Wuhan, capital of Central China’s Hubei province.
Officials said that the center will cover an area of 242 hectares and will be divided into three sections: a two-square-kilometer closed testing field to be finished in 2019, an ICV town covering an area of 15 sq k to be completed by 2020, and a 90-sq-k demonstration zone for ICVs and smart transportation to be finished in 2022.
A comprehensive industrial cluster is expected to form here and engage in the design, R&D, and testing of new generation vehicles, the manufacturing of intelligent terminals, and the operation of smart transportation platforms.
More than 30 companies specializing in the R&D of artificial intelligence, self-driving tests, and 5G communications have already decided to set up operations in the center.
Hailed as China’s automobile hub, the WHDZ will pilot the transformation of the traditional car industry and play a leading role in developing new generation vehicles, an official said.
