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Chinese technology company Baidu announced on Monday that it will be offering robotaxi rides without any human staff in the vehicles.
Baidu’s robotaxi unit, Apollo Go, is reportedly in discussions with several firms to expand into international markets in the near future. Details on the timing and specific regions for this expansion were not disclosed.
Baidu is a prominent operator of robotaxis in China, with regulators in certain areas of Beijing and cities like Wuhan allowing commercial operations of self-driving taxis after years of limited testing.
Tesla is set to host a highly anticipated robotaxi event on Thursday.
WeRide, another Chinese robotaxi developer, recently announced a partnership to integrate its cars onto Uber’s platform in Abu Dhabi this year, with no plans for similar collaborations in the U.S. or China.
In July, BYD and Uber revealed plans to develop “autonomous-capable vehicles” for use on Uber’s platform in Europe and Latin America, without providing further specifics.
Robotaxi rides in China, operated by companies such as Baidu and Pony.ai, are typically subsidized to incentivize their use. Some local regulations mandate the presence of a human staff member in the vehicle, meaning that not all rides are fully autonomous.
Baidu reported that as of late July, Apollo Go had completed over 7 million robotaxi rides.
In other news, Baidu announced that Rong Luo would be stepping down as CFO to take on a new role as executive vice president overseeing the company’s mobile ecosystem unit. Junjie He, the former head of the mobile unit, will serve as interim CFO. Baidu described these changes as part of a management rotation.
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Emily Jensen, graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK in 2015 with a degree in Economics. She specializes in financial markets and international trade. After graduating, she worked as an analyst at an investment bank in London, where she developed expertise in global economic trends. She later transitioned into consulting, focusing on fintech ventures and providing insights into global economic developments. Emily is passionate about the intersection of finance and technology and aims to drive innovation in the financial sector.
