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.
According to reports, the affected vehicles halted after encountering abnormal operating conditions that triggered automated safety checks. Estimates of the number of vehicles involved have varied, ranging from several dozen to more than 200.
The incident prompted Chinese regulators to suspend new robotaxi licence approvals while conducting a broader review of autonomous vehicle safety.
New Testing Permits Issued
Bloomberg reported that authorities have now begun issuing permits again in selected cities.
Among the first companies to receive a new approval is autonomous driving developer Momenta, which announced on 21 July that it had secured a road-testing permit for intelligent connected vehicles in Shenzhen.
The approval expands Momenta’s testing network, which already includes Shanghai, Suzhou and Wuxi.
According to Bloomberg, Shenzhen has also updated its regulations governing intelligent connected vehicles to explore opening the entire city to robotaxi operations while reducing barriers to market entry.
Apollo Go Returns to Wuhan
Bloomberg also reported that Baidu is gradually restoring Apollo Go operations in Wuhan.
During the regulatory review, hundreds of Apollo Go robotaxis were reportedly removed from service.
Since early July, residents have shared videos and photographs on Chinese social media showing Apollo Go vehicles operating again on city streets, with some vehicles reportedly accompanied by safety drivers.
The resumption of licence approvals marks the end of the temporary regulatory freeze, although authorities continue to oversee the phased return of autonomous taxi testing and commercial operations.
