Renault to set up autonomous driving demonstration zone in central China

WUHAN - French car maker Renault announced Sunday it will set up an autonomous driving (AD) demonstration zone in central China's Wuhan city to promote the new technology.

The demonstration zone will be jointly built by the Renault Group, its Sino-French joint venture Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company (DRAC) and Wuhan Caidian Ecological Development Group in the capital city of Hubei Province, according to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the three parties.

It will be the first open AD demonstration Zone in China and is expected to be launched in November.

At the demonstration zone, visitors will be able to witness and experience Renault AD vehicle and technology in an open area. An electric self-driving car of Renault will be allowed to run on a 2 km-long lakeside road.

DRAC vice president Jacques Foulquier said autonomous driving will reduce traffic jams and make driving more enjoyable and safer, noting that 90 percent of accidents happened due to human errors.

Under the MOU, Renault will provide construction standards of demonstration sites and vehicles equipped with autonomous driving technologies. DRAC will be responsible for the vehicle maintenance and technical support.

Wuhan Caidian Ecological Development Group will be in charge of the demonstration zone construction and management, according to the MOU.

Renault plans to have a complete package of AD technologies on multiple models and introduce vehicles that can navigate without driver intervention in nearly all situations, including complex city driving, by 2020.