Beijing Issues First Fully Driverless Robotaxi Permits to Baidu and Pony AI
Beijing grants the first fully driverless robotaxi permits in China to Baidu and Pony AI, allowing the companies to charge passengers in a designated 60-square-kilometer area.
Beijing leads China's autonomous vehicle sector by issuing the first fully driverless robotaxi permits to tech companies Baidu and Pony AI. These permits, authorized by the Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area, mark a major milestone for the country's ride-hailing industry as it transitions toward a completely driverless future.
The new authorization allows both companies to operate their autonomous taxis on open roads within a designated 60-square-kilometer zone in southern Beijing. Baidu immediately deploys 10 driverless vehicles for passenger transport and plans to add 30 more cars to the fleet shortly, while passengers simply use the Apollo Go or PonyPilot+ mobile apps to request a ride.
Customers access these driverless rides through their smartphones, with Baidu operating its service daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Even though a human safety operator no longer sits behind the steering wheel, passengers receive continuous remote customer support to handle any unexpected issues or requests that arise during their journey.