Former Baidu executive’s startup aims to produce over 500 autonomous vehicles annually

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On December 28, Jingchi Technology, a start-up of former Baidu autonomous driving chief, signed an agreement with Guangzhou Development District on autonomous driving program. At the same time, the company announced that its global headquarter will be located in the district and the core team will be moved from the Silicon Valley to the new headquarter.

What the start-up made clear is that it aims to be the first company in China to industrialize autonomous vehicles at large scale and to develop global leading autonomous driving technology. It will build the first commercial operation site for autonomous vehicles. From the first quarter of next year, it will build 500 to 1,000 driverless vehicles per year.

In the coming three years, the company plans to attract and nurture 1,000 talents. It is ambitious to build Guangzhou an artificial intelligence (AI) highland. Besides, the company will participate and build global leading AI research institute as well as AI schools.

What’s more, with the purpose to shape the intelligent mobility ecology, Jingchi Technology will join forces with several financing corporations to set up an RMB 10-billion industry fund and develop intelligent driving, intelligent manufacturing and intelligent mobility.

Statistics show that Jingchi Technology was founded in April, 2017 by Wangjing, former leader of Baidu autonomous driving department. On May 12, the company finished its testing on closed roads and obtained the DMV road testing license. A week later, it tested on open roads. In September, it managed to raise 52 million dollars.

But recently, it also got some problems. Baidu, which Wang Jing once worked for, took the founder and the start-up to court, claiming that the founder stole its proprietary autonomous driving technology for the start-up. Wang Jing rebutted the claim, saying it is groundless. He also disclosed that the company will present its technology strength in two weeks.