This illustration photo shows a level-4 autonomous vehicle developed by VinBigdata. Photo: VinBigdata
Quang Trung Software City, located in the city’s Trung My Tay Ward, has recently approved the implementation of a controlled pilot of autonomous vehicle technology within its campus.
The trial will run from July through September 2026.
The pilot will be carried out by Vietnamese firm 365 Group Co., Ltd., using level-4 autonomous vehicles developed by VinBigdata, an artificial intelligence and big data subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate.
The vehicles, designed to operate without a human driver under predefined operating conditions, are gradually entering commercial use in markets around the world.
The trial marks the first step toward establishing a regulatory sandbox for autonomous vehicle technology in Ho Chi Minh City.
The trial includes a comprehensive pilot system comprising autonomous vehicles, an operations center, a remote monitoring system, a data collection and analytics platform, safety management mechanisms, and evaluation processes to support government regulators.
Vehicle operations will be confined to a designated area within QTSC and monitored through multiple layers of oversight and remote control to ensure safety throughout the trial.
The project will allow authorities and developers to evaluate the safety, operational performance and adaptability of level-4 autonomous vehicles under Ho Chi Minh City’s real-world infrastructure and traffic conditions.
It is also expected to further refine the technology, support technology transfer and commercialization, and help build a ‘made in Vietnam’ autonomous vehicle ecosystem.
The controlled sandbox model reflects the city’s proactive approach to promoting innovation by allowing businesses to develop and test emerging technologies within clearly defined regulatory and operating boundaries.
The experience gained from the trial is expected to help regulators refine policies, regulatory mechanisms, and legal frameworks to keep pace with technological advances.
In the longer term, the project is expected to provide valuable experience for expanding controlled sandbox mechanisms to other strategic technologies, helping foster innovation, attract high-tech investment, and support the development of next-generation high-tech industries in Ho Chi Minh City.