In April this year, Jiefang successfully put its self-driving trucks on the road, demonstrating its latest achievements in smart-driving vehicle development and attracting wide media attention.

Compared with the trial operation in April, the one held in October has made several breakthroughs. First, the vehicles are equipped with more advanced L2+ driver assistance systems. Second, the testing ground moved from a closed one inside FAW to an expressway, bringing more challenges for the vehicles. Third, each vehicle has a container at its back, making their operation closer to real-time operation.

During the trial operation, attention was mainly focused on ACC, AEB and LKAS. Jiefang smart-driving trucks automatically drove at the constant speed set in advance. When driving at some bumpy roads, the vehicles lowered their speed accordingly without any assistance from the driver. Also during the trial operation, Jiefang smart-driving trucks’ control systems can not only send alarms, but also accomplish automatic braking. In addition, the vehicles’ camera can help vehicles detect lanes, freeing drivers from the driver’s seats and giving them the freedom to perform some other activities.

Recently, FAW Jiefang officially launched a new smart-driving truck development plan. According to it, the company will roll out L3 smart-driving trucks in 2018, which are able to sense surrounding environment, perform LPS and track planning. By 2020, the company will have L4 smart-driving trucks available based on 5G driving networks, making their vehicles more intelligent. By 2025, Jiefang L5 automatic driving trucks are set to hit China’s commercial vehicle market.