Hebei Radio and Television Station reported that the Xiong'an New Area will eventually boast some 500 km of digital roads. Autonomous buses are among such vehicles running on or undergoing tests on digital roads in use.

Liu, 36, who graduated from Tsinghua University with a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering in 2010, said, "Xiong'an seemed to be the most promising place for a successful smart city in China, so that's why I was determined to come here."

He arrived last year, five years after the Xiong'an New Area, which is situated about 100 km southwest of Beijing, was established.

In April 2017, China announced plans to set up the new area, which has become a sophisticated modern city covering about 1,770 square kilometers.

In May, the nation's leadership stressed the need to make smart, green and innovative development the trademark of Xiong'an, in line with China's high-quality development path.