Will you trust a robot taxi? Baidu’s self-driving taxis take on Shenzhen, one of China’s busiest city

One of the big four tech companies in China, Baidu, has finally launched its self-driving taxis or better known as robotaxis in Shenzhen, China, one of the country’s most densely populated and busiest cities.

Customers who wish to book a self-driving taxi can do so via the app called Apollo Go. Baidu has set up 50 different pick-up and drop-off points for now.

The company expects the number of pick-up and drop-off points to grow to more than 300 by the end of 2022 to better serve the city of 13 million people.

For now, customers are still required to sit in the driver’s seat as part of a safety precaution. Baidu promises that this will change in the future as it continues to perfect the autonomous technology.

Also read: Geely joins the driverless car game with Baidu’s help

Shenzhen is the seventh city that Baidu has launched its autonomous car services in the country. It is also the first time that Baidu has entered a downtown area in what is considered a first-tier city in China.

Baidu faces tough competition in the city as the Nanshan district is one of the most densely populated areas in South China and the city has also countless established transport services.

Beijing previously allowed the first self-driving taxis to hit the road in November, these autonomous taxis are required to stay in a designated pilot area where vehicles could be tested by companies that have regulatory approval.

Baidu is just one of a handful of companies that offers self-driving taxis, other companies include DeepRoute, Pony.ai, and AutoX.

Also read: Will you get into a driverless taxi?