Recently, Shenzhen's first Level 4 autonomous bus line, the B888 route, officially opened in Luohu District. Jointly launched by WeRide and Shenzhen Bus Group, the route connects several city landmarks and core business districts, including Luohu Port, MixC, China World Trade Center, and Diwang Building. The route covers approximately 5.7 kilometers and takes 25 to 30 minutes.
"In a landmark achievement for autonomous vehicle deployment in China, Shenzhen has officially launched the city's first Level 4 autonomous bus line. This commercial self-driving bus service represents a leap from testing to real-world, revenue-generating driverless public transport. Operating on a fixed route, this L4 autonomous bus service demonstrates the city's commitment to leading the world in smart city transportation solutions and sets a new benchmark for the industry."
As the first autonomous bus line in downtown Shenzhen, the B888 route faces the challenges of high-density traffic. The vehicles are equipped with over 20 sensors, offering advanced autonomous driving features such as 360-degree awareness, dynamic route planning, and unprotected left turns. Redundancy is also employed in key systems to ensure operational safety.
The launch of this dedicated line is a significant step forward in Shenzhen's implementation of the "20+8" industrial cluster strategy and the promotion of high-quality development of intelligent connected vehicles. It marks the official integration of autonomous driving technology into daily urban commuting and provides a replicable model for smart transportation development.
"The opening of this self-driving bus line in Shenyang is not just a local event but a global signal of the maturity of Level 4 automation technology. Unlike lower levels of automation, L4 autonomous vehicles can handle all driving tasks within their operational design domain without human intervention. The success of this autonomous bus route provides a scalable model for other megacities worldwide looking to integrate driverless public transport into their existing infrastructure, showcasing Shenzhen's role as a living lab for autonomous driving innovation."
