China develops self-driving electric city buses

WUHAN -- A new model of self-driving city buses, the first to be solely electric-powered, has rolled off the production line and finished initial testing at a factory in Central China's Hubei province.

The 6.7-meter long buses were jointly developed by Hubei-based auto maker Dongfeng Xiangyang Touring Car Co Ltd and Beijing Institute of Technology, the provincial economy and information technology commission said Monday.

After successful testing at the factory, the first two buses have been sent to Shenzhen, Guangdong province where they will be tested on the road. The buses are expected to be put into use in as yet unconfirmed areas at the end of November, said the commission.

The buses can carry 25 passengers and run at a maximum speed of 40 km per hour. They have the ability to switch between manual driver operation and self-driving.

They have energy saving features and boast high quality parts and manufacturing. A single charge allows them to run for up to 150 km. The motor and key parts are expected to last for over 1.2 million km without failure.