Baidu will offer first paid robotaxi service in China next month, letting people hail rides without drivers

  • Baidu will allow people to order autonomous taxis on May 2 in an industrial park in western Beijing
  • Huawei, Didi Chuxing and traditional carmakers are all racing to develop autonomous driving tech in China

Baidu’s Apollo robotaxi, developed using a Hongqi electric vehicle, in Beijing’s Shougang Park. Baidu will be the first to charge for a robotaxi service in China in May. Photo: EPA-EFE

Baidu will start China’s first paid robotaxi service on May 2 in Beijing’s Shougang Industrial Park, one of the venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics, the company announced on Thursday.

Users of the Apollo Go app will be able to call a robotaxi without a safety driver within the geofenced area. However, the company emphasised that human operators will be able to remotely control the vehicles over 5G in case of an emergency.
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