Chinese internet giant Baidu will set up an office in Silicon Valley to jumpstart its self-driving car initiative. The announcement comes on the heels of Chinese authorities clamoring to get self-driving cars up and running in the next three to five years.

Baidu plans to augment its Silicon Valley to 100 members by the end of this year. The team will comprise engineers and researchers, working in various areas "integral to self-driving car development, including planning, perception, control and systems."  The team will also form the Autonomous Driving Unit.

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Baidu has an existing partnership with BMW to create self-driving cars for the Chinese market. In December 2015, they announced the completion of the first successful testing of a self-driving car through Beijing streets.

"Autonomous vehicles will save lives and make transportation more efficient," Senior Vice President of Baidu and general manager of Autonomous Driving Unit, Jing Wang said, "Baidu's Silicon Valley car team will play a significant role in building the car of the future."

China is striving to make its presence felt in the self-driving car industry which is currently dominated by the United States and Europe. A panel backed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is said to be in the process of drafting the plan for regulating the initiative. Various other ministries are also likely to be involved in the process. The draft will be then sent to State Council or cabinet for approval.

Unlike the US, where autonomous driving vehicles are governed by various state laws and causing confusion and asymmetry, China plans to come up with a unified framework for setting out technical standards. The plan also resonates with China's efforts to develop its economy with emphasis on consumer and high-technology industries.

TagsBaidu, Silicon Valley, Self-driving cars, china