Briefly

Driverless cars get support in Beijing

The Beijing municipal government recently announced plans to support the use of autonomous electric buses, ride-hailing services and car rentals recently, in a sign that driverless vehicles are set to get legislative backing for their deployment on the capital's roads. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology has released draft regulations on autonomous vehicles to solicit public feedback. The city aims to address key issues faced by autonomous vehicle innovators in specific areas through legislation. In September 2020, Beijing took the lead in planning and building China's first high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone.

3 dead, 2 injured after car hit by falling rocks

Three people were killed and two others injured after rocks rolling down a mountain hit their car in Southwest China's Sichuan province on Monday evening, local authorities said. The accident occurred around 7:30 pm on the S204 highway in Bazhong. The injured were sent to hospital and their conditions are not life-threatening, authorities in Tongjiang county, Bazhong, said.

Sea mining machine reaches record depth

A prototype of a Chinese-designed deep-sea heavy-duty mining machine has completed a sea trial at a depth exceeding 4,000 meters, marking a significant breakthrough in the country's deep-sea mineral resource development technology. The trial was conducted by the Pioneer II, an engineering prototype independently developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Shanghai municipal government said on Tuesday. The Pioneer II completed five diving and seabed mining operations, including a record-breaking dive to 4,102.8 meters, marking the first time a Chinese deep-sea heavy-duty mining vehicle has conducted trial operations at depths exceeding 4,000 meters.

Xinhua