Tencent on March 2 disclosed a patent titled "a self-driving control method and device" that enables a controlled self-driving vehicle to find an opportunity to safely change lanes and perform the lane change.

Based on the condition that the controlled vehicle maintains a set safe driving distance from the target-guided vehicle, the technology can determine and execute the acceleration of the controlled vehicle following the target-guided vehicle, the patent says.

Tencent tested its L4 autonomous driving technology on one of the first self-driving test roads in Guangzhou, which went into service in January.

Tencent's self-driving cloud simulation platform was named a Global New Energy Vehicle Innovation Technology at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress last September.

Tencent recruited self-driving car engineers in Palo Alto, California, in 2018 and received a local self-driving car testing license, as well as holding the first self-driving test licenses in Beijing and Shenzhen.

Tencent has taken stakes in several electric vehicles and self-driving technology companies, including Nio, Tesla, and NavInfo.

Tencent becomes latest tech giant to set foot in auto industry