Baidu’s Robotaxi service starts operation in Chengdu

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Baidu’s autonomous driving mobility service, Apollo Go, started operation in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.

Photo credit: Baidu Apollo

The tech giant’s Robotaxi service is now available for residents in the Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone (CDHT). The initial fleet of eight autonomous vehicles will serve passengers in a ten-square-kilometer area in the CDHT, which consists of commercial areas, residential areas, technology parks, and sports centers. Users can hail a Robotaxi via the Apollo Go mobile application, mini program, and Baidu Maps from 9:00 to 17:00 daily.

As an early player in China to deploy autonomous driving technologies, Baidu Apollo holds industry-leading technology and mature autonomous driving solutions. Up to now, the company has accumulated a total test distance of more than 32 million kilometers. 

Currently, Baidu has launched autonomous driving mobility service in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and other cities, among which paid services have been realized in Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan, Yangquan and other cities. With a total order volume of more than 1 million trips, Baidu deems itself the world's largest autonomous driving mobility service provider.

Notably, Baidu recently received pilot operation permission in Beijing to charge fares with its driverless Robotaxis with no drivers in the driver’s seat but safety monitors in the passenger vehicle seats.