Lotus Robotics and CaoCao Mobility have introduced a fully autonomous ride-hailing platform, which is currently undergoing trials in Suzhou and Hangzhou, China, ahead of a planned global rollout by the end of the year.
The platform integrates Lotus Robotics’ self-driving technology with CaoCao Mobility’s ride-hailing services. Both companies are backed by Chinese automaker Geely, which also owns brands such as Proton, Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co. The service employs a custom-built vehicle designed for full autonomy and automated operations, the companies said.
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The pilot program has completed 13,545 km of testing in designated areas without human intervention, according to Lotus Robotics and CaoCao Mobility. “Lotus Robotics and CaoCao Mobility will continue operating across both cities in China, as it looks to refine the vehicle-road-cloud integration model, blending vehicle intelligence with infrastructure to address persistent challenges including unexpected pedestrian crossings,” the companies stated.
Lotus Robotics’ technology includes ROBO Soul, a self-driving software stack designed for integration across various vehicle platforms and environments. The company said the system can deliver up to Level 4 autonomy, where vehicles can handle most driving tasks independently under specific conditions, with human override available.
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The platform is supported by ROBO Galaxy, a cloud-based toolset that manages and analyzes data to optimize fleet efficiency. The system aggregates data from multiple sources, including sensors and road information, to enhance self-driving capabilities. Additionally, ROBO Matrix enables real-time monitoring and AI-driven learning to improve safety and navigation.
Lotus Robotics’ technology allows autonomous navigation without reliance on pre-mapped routes, facilitating urban driving functions such as smart lane changes, intersection U-turns, and adaptive obstacle avoidance. Components of this system are also utilized in Lotus’ next-generation electric vehicles, including the Eletre hyper-SUV and Emeya hyper-GT.
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The announcement follows Lotus Robotics’ recent partnership with Aramco Digital to explore autonomous ride-hailing deployments in the Middle East. The company has also collaborated with automotive brands such as Lynk & Co and Farizon Auto to advance self-driving technology.
To support its global expansion, Lotus Robotics is leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) for data storage and analysis, ensuring compliance with regulations in each market where it operates.
