Beijing allows self-driving taxis from Baidu and Pony.ai

Beijing is giving the green light to self-driving taxis from Baidu and Pony.ai, a very limited first test in the Yizhuang suburb.

Beijing is paving the way for unmanned robot taxis. The Chinese capital has allowed Pony.ai and internet giant Baidu to offer self-driving taxi services to the general public. The operation will start on a small scale for the two companies, with a fleet of 10 vehicles for Baidu and 4 vehicles for Pony.ai, according to CNBC, and should expand rapidly in the city.

Beijing gives green light to self-driving taxis from Baidu and Pony.ai

However, the government requires a crew member to be on board every vehicle to make sure everything is going well, but an employee does not have to be in the driver’s seat. Both companies have already been able to test their self-driving taxis in Beijing and other cities across the country, but they needed to have an employee behind the wheel in case of an emergency.

These operating permits are another big step towards building the self-driving taxi industry, which has set a goal of selling 70% of new cars in 2030 with at least a Level 2 driver.

A very limited first test in a suburb of Yizhuang.

Another benefit for Beijing residents: rides in these self-driving vehicles will be free, at least for now. Both companies are still awaiting government approval to charge for this service. For now, interested customers can book a ride through either Pony.ai’s PonyPilot+ app or Baidu’s Apollo Go app. However, there is also a downside. Travel is limited to about 60 km from Yizhuang, a suburb of Beijing. There is also no home care. Passengers will have to choose from several public places to pick up and drop off – metro stations, parks or stadiums.

Pony.ai has encountered a number of issues while testing its autonomous driving technology in the United States. California suspended permission to test a Chinese firm last year after it crashed due to a software vulnerability. There were no injuries and no other vehicles. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has recalled all vehicles.