CaoCao begins Robotaxi testing without onboard safety operator on public roads in Hangzhou

Gasgoo Munich- CaoCao Inc., a ride hailing platform in China originally incubated by Geely, began Robotaxi road testing without an in-vehicle safety operator on July 27, advancing its driverless program in Hangzhou.

Image source: CaoCao

The tests are taking place on public roads in the city's Binjiang District. Vehicles receive ride assignments only when designated stations trigger a request, allowing CaoCao to evaluate system stability and service reliability within a limited and controlled operating framework.

The program remains a road test rather than a fully open commercial service. Removing the safety operator from the driver's seat represents a further technical and operational step, but the vehicles continue to operate within prescribed areas and under remote supervision.

Every test vehicle is connected to CaoCao's RAS remote safety platform, which serves as the cloud-based safety and operating center for its Robotaxi fleet.

The platform monitors vehicles throughout each journey and handles emergency calls, real-time remote assistance and responses to abnormal situations. This remote support layer does not continuously drive the vehicles but provides human oversight and intervention capabilities when assistance is required.

CaoCao received regulatory approval in April to become Hangzhou's first mobility company authorized to test intelligent connected vehicles without onboard safety operators. The latest announcement marks the start of testing under that authorization.

The Geely-backed ride-hailing operator has deployed a fleet of 100 Robotaxis in Hangzhou. Fleet operations are supported by its Green Intelligent Mobility Hub, a facility combining automated battery swapping, vehicle cleaning and preparation services.

These facilities address a broader commercialization challenge: driverless fleets require automated maintenance and servicing infrastructure as well as autonomous-driving technology.

CaoCao is the principal commercialization platform for Geely Holding's RoboX strategy, which combines purpose-built vehicles, autonomous-driving technology and fleet operations.

Its current test fleet supports a phased transition from operations with a safety driver to vehicles without an onboard operator. CaoCao is also developing the Eva Cab, a purpose-built Robotaxi designed jointly with Geely specifically for shared autonomous mobility rather than adapted from an existing consumer vehicle.

The Eva Cab is scheduled to enter production and begin initial deployment in 2027. CaoCao plans to use the dedicated model to expand into more cities, with larger-scale production and deployment expected from 2028.

CaoCao plans to extend Robotaxi testing to additional cities and more complex operating environments while refining its autonomous-driving system, remote safety capabilities and fleet-management platform.

Its strategy reflects a shift in the Robotaxi sector from testing individual vehicles toward building an integrated commercial service. Success will depend not only on driving performance, but also on regulatory approval, remote supervision, vehicle utilization, maintenance infrastructure and the economics of operating large fleets.

The Hangzhou program will provide an early indication of how effectively CaoCao can connect those elements as it moves from controlled technical validation toward broader commercial deployment.