Baidu Apollo puts ARCFOX vehicles to driverless Robotaxi fleet in Beijing

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Baidu’s autonomous driving arm Apollo was greenlighted to expand its driverless Robotaxi pilot operation fleet. The company added ten Apollo Moon models on the road of Beijing’s Yizhuang District. 

Apollo Moon ACRFOX; photo credit: Baidu

After receiving China’s first driverless pilot operation authorization, Baidu’s Apollo recently obtained the newest batch of driverless operation licenses granted by Beijing. Added the Apollo Moons, Baidu currently has 20 driverless Robotaxis (with a safety driver on the passenger seat) on the road, and it expects to further expand the fleet by another 20 vehicles. Baidu’s existing fully autonomous driving fleet size is the largest in China. 

In addition, the designated drop-off/pick-up stops for the driverless Robotaxis will also be increased to roughly 300. 

Photo credit: Baidu

The Apollo Moon ARCFOX edition is Baidu’s fifth-generation autonomous vehicle. The vehicle features multiple HMI innovations, including individual controlled door locks, dynamic identity authentication when getting on/off the car, and rear-row passenger status inspection. The vehicle is installed with a display screen on the roof of the car that shows the vehicle’s status, helping with mutual identification between passengers and the Robotaxi. Moreover, basic functions such as seatbelt reminder, voice command, and smart car doors also come standard on the ARCFOX Apollo Moons.