Driverless robotaxi gets clearance to use public roads in China

Autonomous driving is inevitably the future of the motoring industry as more automakers are starting to roll out efforts in developing the next-gen system. It has now gotten to a point that in China, two companies have been given the clearance to use public roads for their robotaxi units.

Pony.ai is backed by Toyota

Baidu and Pony.ai are taking commuting to the next level in China with their small fleet of robotaxis. CNBC reports Baidu can only deploy 10 units of its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle, while Pony.ai is allowed for four units. The two companies will expand their robotaxi fleets, with Baidu expecting to add 30 more units.

Passing safety tests should be accomplished first before the companies can increase their robotaxis on the road. Moreover, a supervisor must be on board in the meantime even in the front passenger seat for safety measures. As of this writing, the robotaxis are limited to a 60-square km area in Yizhuang, Beijing.

Baidu is one of the internet giants in China

Beijing residents also benefit from a free-of-charge ride while the companies wait for the government’s approval to charge the service. Commuters must download the PonyPilot+ app to book a ride with Pony.ai, while Baidu customers must download the Apollo Go app.

But China isn’t the only country to allow robotaxis to operate. In the United States, Waymo and Cruise have started to offer driverless taxi services. American automaker Tesla also plans to join the fray as it plans to introduce its robotaxis by 2024. The units are expected to utilize a Level 5 Autonomy, which is a significant upgrade over the brand’s consumer models that are at Level 2.

Pony.ai was given the chance to test out in the U.S. as well. However, the self-driving tech company’s permit was suspended after one of its cars hits a center divider. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Discover more next-gen car features at Philkotse.com.