BEIJING, Dec. 30 -- Beijing on Monday added a new 40 sq km area for testing self-driving cars with passengers, as the capital pushes for further application of the technology, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.

The city opened 111 roads with a distance of about 322.46 km in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in the southeast suburb for the tests, covering almost the whole area except for sections where schools, hospitals and office buildings are located.

The city also issued a license for carrying passengers in self-driving tests to 40 vehicles from Chinese internet giant Baidu.

Rong Jun, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, said self-driving has gradually developed from road tests to passenger-carrying tests both in China and abroad.

The city issued detailed regulations for the testing of autonomous vehicles earlier this month. The regulations gave the green light to road tests for self-driving vehicles carrying passengers.