Mercedes-Benz approved for L4 auto driving tests in Beijing

Mercedes-Benz has received Level 4 autonomous driving test approval in Beijing, becoming the first international automaker to receive L4 test approval on designated city roads and highways in China.

It received a Level 3 autonomous driving test license at the end of 2023, also one of the first.

L4 autonomous driving refers to an autonomous driving system to perform all operations under defined environmental conditions without human intervention.

Vehicles that reach the L4 level can achieve autonomous driving in specific areas without the need for manual devices such as steering wheels or pedals, eliminating the need for a driver's role,which requires a collaborative and computationally sophisticated set of autonomous driving systems.

Part of Mercedes-Benz China's technology research program, the L4 test would focus on multi-sensor perception in high-level autonomous driving, verifying system performance under various conditions, and exploring the deep integration of perception.

WeRide is another company that gained a Level 4 autonomous driving test license in Beijing this August.

In recent years, Mercedes-Benz has been increasing its research investment in China, investing a total of 10.5 billion yuan (US$1.47 billion) over the past five years, according to official data.