Baidu Launches Apollo Enterprise to Accelerate Mass Production of Self-Driving Cars
Baidu unveils Apollo Enterprise at CES to bring autonomous vehicle technology to mass production, alongside the release of Apollo 3.5 for complex urban driving.
Baidu introduces Apollo Enterprise at CES, a new platform designed specifically to bring autonomous vehicle technology into mass production. The company reports that Apollo already boasts 130 global partners, including Chinese electric vehicle startup WM Motors, which aims to deploy level 3 autonomous vehicles by 2021. Apollo Enterprise focuses on key product lines such as highway autonomous driving, autonomous valet parking, fully autonomous mini-buses, an intelligent map data service platform, and the DuerOS voice assistant for cars.
In addition to the enterprise platform, Baidu releases Apollo 3.5, an upgraded version of its open-source software that now navigates complex urban and suburban driving environments. Customers like Udelv, an autonomous delivery van startup working with Walmart, already utilize this updated system. Baidu plans to deploy up to 100 self-driving vehicles based on Apollo 3.5 in the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of the United States.
The tech giant also outlines ambitious plans for China by preparing to launch 100 robo-taxis in Changsha. These taxis will cover 130 miles of city roads and rely on Baidu's V2X technology to communicate seamlessly with road infrastructure like traffic lights. Together, these announcements highlight Baidu's aggressive strategy to lead the global autonomous driving industry through both commercial partnerships and public transit deployments.