Introduction

Greetings, tech adventurers!

Today, let's delve into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and witness how it's orchestrating a symphony of "speed and innovation" in the realm of autonomous driving.

Autonomous driving stands as a magical key unlocking the doors to future transportation, and the Greater Bay Area stands at the vanguard of this transformative journey.

Join us as we chat about this exciting frontier with Unmanned Cars Are Coming!

(For further reading, please click: Xpeng Motor, Ruqi Travel, Coolway Technology, Baidu Apollo Go: Achieving Mutual Recognition of Autonomous Driving in Four Regions of the Greater Bay Area, Ushering in a New Era of Intelligent Connected Vehicles)

I. Policy Tailwinds, Breaking Down Regional Barriers

Recently, Guangzhou Nansha, Hengqin, Shenzhen Qianhai, and Shenzhen Bao'an inked the "Cooperation Framework Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Demonstration and Application Pilots for Intelligent Connected Vehicles." This is a groundbreaking development!

It's akin to granting an "all-access pass" to autonomous vehicles across the Greater Bay Area.

Upon securing pilot qualifications in one region, companies can now conduct demonstration applications in other mutually recognized areas upon reporting. Vehicles can also traverse open roads in these regions, seamlessly transcending regional boundaries.

This not only fosters deeper integration within the autonomous driving industry in the Greater Bay Area but also paves the way for future expansion into Hong Kong and Macau, potentially establishing the largest urban agglomeration-level benchmark for autonomous driving application practices in China.

II. IPO Surge, Greater Bay Area as the Hotbed of 'Unicorns'

In 2024, the Greater Bay Area is ablaze with autonomous driving activity! Five listed companies pioneering in autonomous driving will emerge in quick succession.

On December 27, Shenzhen Youjia Innovation successfully debuted on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

From RoboSense, the "first lidar stock" listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange earlier in the year, to Ruqi Travel, the "first autonomous driving operation technology stock" to go public in July, and WeRide and Pony.ai, which listed on Nasdaq in the United States in October and November, respectively.

Autonomous driving enterprises in the Greater Bay Area are shining brightly in the capital markets, like new stars in the firmament.

Statistics reveal that among the nine domestic autonomous driving companies listed in 2024, five hail from the Greater Bay Area, with two in Shenzhen and three in Guangzhou, underscoring the region's prowess.

III. Inter-City Rivalry, Greater Bay Area Cities Showcase Their Strengths

Guangzhou: Evolving from an Automotive Pioneer to a Smart Car Hub.

Once known as the "City of Automobiles," Guangzhou has resolutely transformed under the wave of new energy and intelligence, aiming to become a "City of Smart Cars."

As early as late 2017, Guangzhou permitted driverless cars to test on public roads within designated areas. In 2018, relevant guidelines were issued, and test roads have been continuously opening since then.

As of October 2024, a total of 933 roads spanning approximately 1,980 kilometers have been opened, covering six administrative districts, with Huadu District achieving near-full coverage of general roads for testing.

Moreover, Guangzhou is the first city in China to issue passenger test licenses and the only city where L4 intelligent connected vehicles have official license plates for commercial demonstration operations.

Attracted by these forward-thinking policies, numerous autonomous driving enterprises have flocked to Guangzhou.

Pony.ai has deployed over 1,000 stations in Nansha, averaging about 1,500 daily orders. WeRide has secured the first permit for pure unmanned remote testing of L4 autonomous driving cargo vehicles in urban open road scenarios nationwide.

Additionally, enterprises like Ruqi Travel and Didi Woway collaborate with auto giants such as GAC Group and XPeng Motors to conduct various high-level testing activities.

Guangzhou is also at the forefront of autonomous driving legislation. In 2023, it issued a draft for public comments on relevant regulations. In November 2024, the "Regulations on the Innovation and Development of Intelligent Connected Vehicles in Guangzhou" passed the vote, providing a legal foundation for the widespread application of autonomous driving.

Shenzhen: Leading in Legislation, Forging an Unmanned Economy Highland.

Shenzhen is the first city in China to enact legislation supporting driverless vehicles on public roads, demonstrating robust policy support for autonomous driving.

Since 2022, a series of policy documents have included the intelligent connected vehicle industry cluster in the key development category. The "Regulations on Intelligent Connected Vehicles in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone," implemented in August 2022, offers a comprehensive solution to issues related to testing and access for intelligent connected vehicles.

Currently, Shenzhen has achieved normalized and diversified scenario operation pilots for functional unmanned vehicles.

On the commercialization front, as a pilot city, Shenzhen has initiated commercialization pilots for 'driverless' intelligent connected passenger vehicles in select areas, with continuous optimization of test demonstration road sections.

Pingshan District has issued unmanned commercialization pilot licenses to AutoX and Baidu Apollo Go, marking the official launch of fully unmanned Robotaxi charging operations.

The Nanshan Mawan Port has established the world's first port with large-scale application of autonomous driving technology.

Qianhai has collaborated with Shenzhen Bus Group to deploy 20 autonomous buses and open four demonstration lines.

Shenzhen also promotes the construction of demonstration scenarios for unmanned sanitation operations, with over 100 AI cleaning devices in use citywide.

As of December 2024, the total mileage of open roads for intelligent connected vehicle testing in Shenzhen has reached 1,560 kilometers, with the number of licenses increasing by 62% year-on-year.

Hong Kong: Regulatory Shield, Advancing Commercialization in Specific Scenarios. Hong Kong has included the development of autonomous vehicles in relevant plans since 2017. In 2023, the Legislative Council passed relevant bills and regulations, and the regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles came into effect in March 2024, with several major projects actively being promoted. UISEE Technology has partnered with Hong Kong International Airport to operationalize driverless logistics vehicles and buses, with over 60 driverless vehicles already in operation at the airport. The Airport Authority plans to expand the fleet to 100 by 2028 and extend services beyond the airport premises.

Baidu and Champion Charter Bus Co., Ltd. have also successively obtained pioneering licenses for autonomous vehicles. On December 27, 2024, the Airport Authority Hong Kong announced the construction of an "Aerospace Corridor," where passengers will soon be able to travel conveniently between related areas using driverless vehicles.

Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone: From Exploration to Commercial Operation. Hengqin embarked on the application of intelligent connected autonomous vehicles in September 2022 and gradually opened test road sections. In July 2024, the entire 330-kilometer road network was opened for testing and demonstration applications. In August, remote highly automated driving road tests were initiated, heralding a new era of 'steering wheel-free' vehicles. On September 10, four enterprises received the first batch of commercialization pilot notices, marking a new phase of commercial operation in Hengqin. Currently, Hengqin has launched four demonstration application bus lines, established an autonomous driving sanitation demonstration zone, increased the number of autonomous sweeping vehicles and sprinklers to 20-30, expanded the fleet of intelligent connected minibuses to 12, and operated 8 Robotaxis with plans for further expansion. In summary, Unmanned Cars Are Coming believes that the cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are akin to a cohort of dream-driven explorers, ceaselessly exploring and advancing in the realm of autonomous driving. Leveraging their unique strengths and efforts, they are collectively painting a grand vision for autonomous driving! It's only a matter of time before the Greater Bay Area emerges as a dazzling gem in the global autonomous driving landscape. Stay tuned!