The production center for an innovative bus that straddles highway lanes to allow cars to pass beneath - a sort of moving tunnel - appears deserted with no sign of construction, raising questions about the scheduled launch in 2017.

In December, Huaying Group, headquartered in Beijing, signed a contract with the local authorities in Zhoukou, Henan province, to produce the Transit Elevated Bus in a manufacturing and research center covering 0.67 square kilometers.

The bus looks like a giant double-decker but is hollow on the ground level. Passengers can sit on the top floor while cars pass below.