Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. said it completed a 1,200-mile road trip to test a self-driving car as part of ambitions to produce highly automated vehicles by 2020.

 

The car set off from the company's headquarters in Chongqing and reached Beijing after six days, the automaker said in a statement to the Shenzhen stock exchange.

 

The driverless car employed cameras and radar to test automatic cruising, lane-keeping and changing, assisted driving during traffic congestion, and speed reduction through traffic sign recognition and voice control, according to the company.

 

Changan is one of several Chinese companies -- including BAIC Group and Internet giant Baidu Inc. - that are developing cars that can pilot themselves with minimal or no human intervention. For China, the push for self-driving vehicles also is part of a broader state effort to encourage Chinese manufacturers to upgrade technology.

 

For global companies aiming to introduce automated driving in China, local tests are important because of different traffic conditions, driving habits and signage.

 

Nissan Motor Co., which sells more automobiles in China than any other Japanese carmaker, has signed an agreement to work with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center to adapt lane- keeping, collision avoidance and other safety features to Chinese road conditions.