China’s leading search engine, Baidu, announced on Friday that it had secured a permit to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The company’s self-driving division, Apollo, will deploy 10 autonomous vehicles in a technology park developed by the Beijing government.
Baidu’s latest move marks a significant milestone in its quest to commercialize autonomous driving technology, following the license it obtained in December 2022 to test the service. With the new permit, the company is set to operate driverless robotaxi services in three Chinese cities, including Wuhan and Chongqing.
See also: Baidu’s Apollo Go to operate autonomous robotaxi in two cities
Baidu, headquartered in Beijing, derives the bulk of its revenue from its internet search engine. However, over the past five years, the company has been focusing on self-driving technologies as part of its diversification strategy.
The news comes amid heightened competition in the autonomous driving sector in China, with companies like Didi, Pony.ai, and WeRide also seeking to deploy self-driving taxis. The Chinese government has been supportive of autonomous driving technology, with Beijing committing to having 10% of its vehicles be autonomous by 2030.
See also: Baidu claims Apollo RT6 has better autonomous mobility technology than Tesla
Baidu’s autonomous driving division, Apollo, is one of the most well-funded and advanced self-driving programs globally. With its strong technological capabilities and the new permit to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Beijing, Baidu is well-positioned to become a leader in the burgeoning self-driving industry in China.
