Shanghai to expand autonomous driving areas in Pudong New Area
The recently concluded 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) has drawn attention to the demonstration and operation of intelligent connected vehicles in Shanghai.
On July 28, Han Dadong, head of the automobile industry division at the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, revealed in an exclusive interview with The Paper that Shanghai plans to systematically expand the amount of area allowing autonomous driving and aims to open all roads in Pudong for autonomous driving test this year, excluding key areas such as Lujiazui.
A new batch of demonstration operation licenses for intelligent connected vehicles was issued during a forum on AI-powered autonomous driving on July 26.
The license covers intelligent taxi and intelligent freight services. With legislative support from the Pudong government, this move means Shanghai's intelligent connected vehicles have entered a new stage of regularized and large-scale operation.
The licensed enterprises can operate driverless vehicles in designated pilot areas, a substantial upgrade from the previous "driver-present" pilot regions and vehicles in Shanghai. With the opening of the third batch of autonomous driving test roads in Pudong, the total mileage of open test roads has exceeded 2,700 kilometers, covering parts of the central urban area within the Inner Ring Road.
The public can experience the short-distance shuttle service of driverless taxis at designated locations around the 2025 WAIC venue. [Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]
Han further elaborated on the specific plans for different districts. He stated that the full-scale opening of Pudong will exclude key areas like Lujiazui due to the already busy traffic conditions. In Minhang district, key areas such as the Hongqiao Hub will be opened in order to better align with the city's initiatives and connect open roads for autonomous driving tests. Given the relatively limited application in Fengxian district, it will not be fully opened for the time being.
He also said that Shanghai plans to allow autonomous driving on a total area of 2,000 square kilometers and 5,000 kilometers of road by 2027.