An Alphabus smart bus makes a test run on public road in Shenzhen, Dec 2, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

China began testing the self-driving bus technology on a public road in Shenzhen Saturday.

Four Alphabus smart buses made the inaugural trial run on a route of 1.2 kilometers in the bonded zone of Futian. They ran at 10-30 km per hour and halted at three stops during the test.

The buses used the limited self-driving technology, with a driver sitting behind the wheels, ready to take charge in an emergency.

The bus is developed under a pilot project on future new energy and smart bus system, initiated by the National Intelligent Transport Systems Center of Engineering and Technology and the Shenzhen Bus Group.

The Alphabus smart system could respond to other road users and emergencies, could automatically spot pedestrians and vehicles, halt at regular bus stops, lower speed to avoid other road users, stops in emergency, and sidestep obstacles.