At least 19 Chinese cities are testing robotaxis and robobuses, with seven cities approving tests without human-driver monitors from at least five industry leaders: Apollo Go, Pony.ai, WeRide, AutoX, and SAIC Motor. Apollo Go, a subsidiary of technology giant Baidu, plans to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in Wuhan by year-end and operate in 100 cities by 2030. Pony.ai, backed by Japan’s Toyota Motor, operates 300 robotaxis with plans to increase to 1,000 by 2026. WeRide is known for autonomous taxis, vans, buses, and street sweepers, while AutoX, backed by Alibaba Group, operates in cities including Beijing and Shanghai. SAIC Motor has been operating robotaxis since 2021.
In the US, Alphabet’s Waymo operates uncrewed robotaxis that collect fares, with over 1,000 cars in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix . Cruise, backed by General Motors, resumed testing in April after an accident last year.
Despite safety concerns in China, robotaxi fleets are growing under government approval aimed at supporting economic goals. President Xi Jinping’s call for “new productive forces” last year spurred regional competition. Beijing began testing in limited areas in June, and Guangzhou announced it would open roads citywide to self-driving trials. Some Chinese firms have attempted to test autonomous cars in the US, but the White House is expected to ban vehicles with China-developed systems.
China has seen a significant increase in registered ride-hailing drivers, growing from 4.4 million two years ago to 7 million today, according to official data. Ride-hailing has provided last-resort jobs during economic slowdowns, and the spread of robotaxis could prompt the government to reconsider its pace due to the potential social impact. Discussions about job loss from robotaxis reached the top of social media searches in July with hashtags like, “Are driverless cars stealing taxi drivers’ livelihoods?”
Drivers in Wuhan have a unique nickname for Apollo Go vehicles, calling them “stupid radishes” due to their tendency to cause traffic jams. An example of job automation’s impact can be seen on Driving School. Driving schools in China have more than halved their instructor numbers, instead employing teachers at a Beijing control center to monitor students in 610 cars equipped with computer instructional tools. These tools score students on their driving performance, such as each wheel turn and brake tap, while virtual reality simulators help students navigate challenging road conditions.
(Inputs from Reuters)