Author: Andrew Xu

China has resumed issuing robotaxi licences after a regulatory pause introduced in April following a safety incident involving Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous taxi fleet. According to Bloomberg, regulators have begun approving new permits in selected cities after completing an industry-wide safety review at the end of June. The move signals a gradual reopening of China’s autonomous driving testing programme, with some operators already receiving new approvals and previously suspended services beginning to return. Safety Review Followed Apollo Go Incident The licensing pause followed an incident on 31 March 2026, when numerous Apollo Go robotaxis reportedly stopped on roads in Wuhan.…

Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan-based Turlov Private Holding Ltd (TPH) to explore the deployment of autonomous driving technology and driverless mobility services in Kazakhstan. The agreement, signed ahead of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026) in Shanghai, marks Apollo Go’s first expansion into Central Asia as the company continues to grow its international robotaxi business. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev, attended the signing ceremony. Partnership Targets Autonomous Mobility Deployment Under the agreement, Apollo Go and TPH will combine their respective…

ByteDance is exploring autonomous driving technologies as part of its broader artificial intelligence research, according to a report by Chinese technology media outlet 36Kr, although the company said it has no plans to enter the smart driving business. Citing multiple industry sources, the report said the initiative is being led by the world model team within ByteDance’s Seed AI research division. The team is working on technologies related to environmental perception, prediction and planning, capabilities that are also central to autonomous driving systems. Autonomous Driving Research Underway According to 36Kr, ByteDance is studying applications including autonomous logistics, with the project…

Xpeng has completed the first order in the closed beta of its robotaxi service, marking another milestone in the company’s effort to commercialize autonomous ride-hailing technology. Chairman and Chief Executive He Xiaopeng became the first passenger to use the service and shared the experience in a post on Weibo. “Very happy to be the first user in our robotaxi closed beta,” He said. “Downstairs from the office, I placed the order, got in, took my seat, and set off — the whole process was seamless.” According to He, the demonstration marked the first time Xpeng had connected the complete process…

Shares of Eacon Mining Technology rose on their Hong Kong Stock Exchange debut after the autonomous mining technology provider completed an initial public offering that attracted strong investor demand. The stock opened at HK$91, about 3.5% above its offer price of HK$87.92. During Wednesday trading, the shares climbed further to HK$100.60, representing a gain of about 14.3%, giving the company a market capitalization of approximately HK$14.8 billion. Eacon offered around 26.13 million shares in its global offering, raising approximately HK$2.3 billion in gross proceeds and about HK$2.18 billion in net proceeds. IPO Attracts Institutional Investors According to the company, the…

Seyond reported a sharp increase in LiDAR shipments during the second quarter of 2026, driven by rapid demand for its Robin series as advanced driver assistance systems continue to gain wider adoption in China’s automotive market. According to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the company shipped approximately 271,100 LiDAR units during the quarter, representing a 385% increase from a year earlier and a 49% rise compared with the first quarter. Robin Series Drives Shipment Growth The Robin series accounted for the majority of quarterly deliveries, with shipments reaching approximately 191,600 units. That represented year-on-year growth of more…

Xpeng has unveiled X-Mind, a new artificial intelligence framework designed to enhance autonomous driving by enabling vehicles to predict how surrounding traffic conditions may evolve before executing driving decisions. The company introduced the technology during the Foundation Model Workshop at the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) conference held in Denver this month. X-Mind forms the latest component of Xpeng’s Physical AI research programme, joining the previously announced X-World and X-Foresight models. AI Model Simulates Future Driving Scenarios Unlike conventional autonomous driving systems that primarily react to real-time sensor inputs, X-Mind introduces what Xpeng describes as a visual chain of…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company Momenta has launched its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), seeking to raise HK$5.89 billion (approximately US$750 million) ahead of its planned market debut next week. The Suzhou-based company is offering about 19.9 million shares at HK$295.60 each, valuing the business at approximately US$9 billion. Momenta is scheduled to begin trading on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code 06880 on July 8. Major Global Investors Back Offering The IPO has attracted 14 cornerstone investors that have collectively agreed to subscribe for nearly US$376 million worth of shares, representing…

CaoCao Mobility and autonomous driving technology company May Mobility have formed a strategic partnership to commercialize robotaxi services in international markets, with Europe identified as the first region for deployment. The companies said the collaboration supports CaoCao’s goal of operating 100,000 robotaxis globally by 2030 through its recently announced RoboX autonomous mobility strategy. Companies Divide Operational Responsibilities Under the agreement, CaoCao will own and operate the robotaxi fleet, drawing on its experience in ride-hailing, fleet management and commercial mobility services. May Mobility will provide its Autonomy-as-a-Service platform, supplying the autonomous driving technology that powers the vehicles. The companies plan to…

CaoCao Inc., the ride-hailing platform backed by Geely Holding Group, has unveiled its RoboX strategy, outlining plans to deploy a combined fleet of 200,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030. The initiative includes a target of 100,000 Robotaxis and 100,000 Robovans, as the company seeks to transform itself into what it describes as a physical AI mobility platform. The strategy was announced during the 2026 International Automotive and Supply Chain Expo in Hong Kong. Three-Pillar Autonomous Mobility Framework According to CaoCao, the RoboX strategy is built around three core pillars: intelligent driving technologies, intelligent purpose-built vehicles, and intelligent operations. The company said…

Xiaomi announced that its YU7 GT electric SUV has set what the company described as the world’s first autonomous-driving lap record for a production SUV at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. The vehicle completed the 20.8-kilometer track in 10 minutes and 29.483 seconds using its autonomous-driving system, according to Xiaomi. Autonomous Driving Demonstration The lap was conducted as a public demonstration of the intelligent-driving capabilities integrated into the production version of the YU7 GT. The Nürburgring Nordschleife, often regarded as one of the most demanding automotive test tracks in the world, features more than 70 corners, significant elevation changes, and complex…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company Momenta has received filing approval from China’s securities regulator for its planned Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), moving the company a step closer to a public market debut. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said it had accepted the overseas listing filing submitted by Momenta Global Limited through its domestic operating entity, according to a notice released on Thursday. Hong Kong Listing Plans Advance Under the filing, Momenta plans to issue up to 43.75 million overseas-listed common shares and seek a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The filing notice, dated June 10…

Li Auto has openly acknowledged Tesla’s leadership in autonomous driving technology, with a senior executive describing the US automaker as the industry’s strongest competitor and confirming that the company is using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system as a key benchmark for future development. Speaking at a recent event, Li Auto’s head of autonomous driving research and development, Zhan, revealed that industry insiders returning from Silicon Valley had repeatedly shared the same assessment with both him and Li Auto Chief Executive Officer Li Xiang: Tesla remains ahead in intelligent driving technology. Silicon Valley trip highlights technology gap To validate those claims…

Calterah has introduced two new automotive millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar system-on-chips (SoCs) aimed at advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), alongside new ultra-wideband (UWB) radar solutions designed for child presence detection and parking assistance. The launches were announced during the company’s annual Calterah Day event as automakers and suppliers prepare for increasingly stringent vehicle safety requirements, including upcoming Euro NCAP protocols and proposed Chinese regulations covering Level 2 ADAS and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. The Shanghai-based semiconductor company said the new products are intended to improve vehicle perception capabilities, support higher levels of driving automation, and enhance in-cabin safety applications. New Radar…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company Momenta has obtained a permit to conduct road testing and demonstration operations for intelligent connected vehicles in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, expanding its footprint in one of China’s key autonomous driving markets. The approval formalizes the company’s activities in the city after it began autonomous vehicle testing there in January. Expanding Autonomous Driving Network With the latest authorization, Wuxi becomes the newest city in Momenta’s growing network of locations supporting high-level autonomous driving demonstrations. The company said the expansion aligns with its broader strategy to deploy advanced autonomous driving technologies across additional cities and international markets…

Chinese autonomous driving technology companies WeRide and Pony.ai have been added to the Stock Connect eligible list, allowing mainland Chinese investors to trade their Hong Kong-listed shares. The adjustment to the Stock Connect list will take effect on June 4, according to announcements from the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The move comes about seven months after both companies began trading in Hong Kong. Eligible mainland investors will be able to directly trade the Hong Kong-listed shares of WeRide and Pony.ai through the cross-border investment mechanism. Access to Mainland Capital Stock Connect is a mutual market access program linking the mainland Chinese…

China’s autonomous driving industry continues to expand its Robotaxi operations despite heightened regulatory scrutiny following a major disruption involving Baidu’s Apollo Go service earlier this year. The sector is currently operating under a regulatory review period after an incident in Wuhan on March 31, 2026, during which nearly 100 Apollo Go vehicles reportedly stopped operating simultaneously. Regulatory Review Following Wuhan Incident The disruption prompted a response from Chinese authorities, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Transport holding a joint meeting in mid-April to address safety concerns and require corrective…

Jiangsu Zeron Technology Co., Ltd. has filed an application to list on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, according to industry reports. The filing was submitted on May 28, with Goldman Sachs (Asia) and Haitong International Capital serving as joint sponsors for the proposed initial public offering. Focus on Smart and Autonomous Heavy Trucks Zeron positions itself as a developer of smart and autonomous heavy-duty truck solutions, pursuing a vertically integrated strategy that combines vehicle development, powertrain technology and autonomous driving systems. The company said its proprietary autonomous driving platform, known as the Zeron Autonomous Driving System,…

CaoCao Inc. has become the first company authorized to conduct driverless robotaxi road testing in Hangzhou, marking a significant milestone in its autonomous mobility ambitions and strengthening its position in China’s rapidly evolving robotaxi market. The Hong Kong-listed mobility platform said it received approval in April 2026 to begin public-road testing of robotaxis without a human safety operator on board, a key regulatory step before commercial deployment. The company described the permit as validation of the maturity and safety of its autonomous driving system and an important foundation for obtaining similar approvals in other Chinese cities. The authorization comes as…

Chinese LiDAR manufacturer RoboSense reported a sharp increase in robotics-related sensor shipments in the first quarter of 2026, with deliveries rising more than fourteenfold from a year earlier and surpassing its automotive business for the first time. The Shenzhen-based company said robotics LiDAR shipments jumped 1,458.8% year-on-year to 185,500 units during the quarter, accounting for more than 56% of total deliveries. The shift marks a significant milestone for RoboSense, as its robotics segment overtook advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as the company’s largest source of shipment volume. Overall LiDAR shipments reached 330,300 units in the first quarter, an increase of…