Baidu and Pony.ai Secure China's First Fully Driverless Robotaxi Permits
Baidu and Pony.ai earn the first permits in China to operate fully driverless ride-hailing services on public roads in Beijing. The new rule still requires a safety operator in the front passenger seat, and the companies do not charge fees for these specific driverless rides yet.
Baidu and Pony.ai make history by receiving the first permits in China to operate fully driverless ride-hailing services on public roads in Beijing. While other Chinese cities allow testing of autonomous vehicles without a human in the driver's seat, this marks the first time companies actually provide a driverless service to the public. The new permits require a safety operator to sit in the front passenger seat, making the regulation slightly less mature than similar rules in California that allow completely empty driver's seats.
Neither company charges passengers for these driverless rides at this time, although both currently run paid, drivered robotaxi services in Beijing's Yizhuang district. This 60-square-kilometer area, home to roughly 300,000 residents, serves as the designated zone for the new driverless operations. Baidu deploys 10 driverless vehicles to join its existing 100-car Apollo Go fleet in the capital, while Pony.ai launches its service with four driverless vehicles.
Passengers access these autonomous rides through dedicated mobile applications during specific daytime hours. Baidu's Apollo Go app accepts ride requests from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Pony.ai's PonyPilot+ app operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hundreds of pickup and drop-off locations are available across the district, including subway stations, parks, stadiums, and residential areas, demonstrating China's steady progress in bringing autonomous vehicle technology to the commercial market.