China’s Professor X says we are at the tipping point for mass roll-out of self-driving cars after tech advances
- HD mapping and deep learning capabilities are two technologies that have pushed autonomous driving forward
For nearly a century engineers have been working towards the goal of self-driving cars, a technological puzzle that has occupied some of the best minds in science and which has the potential to open up a multibillion-dollar market.
Today we see hands-free valet parking and auto-pilot navigation in the US along with limited robotaxi services in the US and China but how close are we to seeing this technology become part of our everyday lives?
Xiao Jianxiong, founder and chief executive of autonomous driving start-up AutoX, spoke about the future of autonomous driving in a webinar organised by the Post this week.
Also known as “Professor X” after a stint at Princeton University as an assistant professor, Xiao founded his company in 2016 with a goal to “democratise autonomy” and make driverless technology universally accessible.
AutoX, which counts Chinese car giants SAIC Motor and Dongfeng Motor among its investors, signed a partnership with the Shanghai authorities last month to build a robotaxi pilot area in Jiading district.
The Shenzhen-based company has also received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to operate self-driving ride services to public passengers.
Q: Can you give a broad overview of the current state of autonomous driving and where you see it going in future?