Baidu Launches Apollo Robotaxi Ride-Hailing Pilot Program in Guangzhou

Chinese internet juggernaut Baidu officially unveiled its robotaxi ride-hailing pilot program to the public in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou, becoming the largest autonomous driving vehicle-for-hire platform in the city.

Up to now, Baidu Apollo has initiated services in Changsha, Cangzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou, making it the autonomous driving technology company with the most widespread operations in the Chinese market.

Users can order a ride using the Baidu Maps app or the Apollo GO app along a route encompassing schools, hospitals, parks, hotels, offices and more, within an operating time of 9:30 am to 11:00 pm. At present, Apollo Robotaxi operates 237 pick-up and drop-off points in Guangzhou, with the firm is expecting more to come in the future.

SEE ALSO: Baidu Apollo to Launch Fully Driverless Robotaxi in Beijing Starting May 2

In February 2021, Baidu partnered with the Guangzhou Huangpu District government to roll out the world’s first multi-modal autonomous driving MaaS platform, originally providing five different autonomous vehicle models to serve local citizens.

Baidu opened its fully driverless Apollo Go Robotaxi service to the public in Beijing’s Shougang Park starting from May 2 of this year. Following the launch, 1,500 people tried the service during a span of just four days. By the end of 2020, Baidu Apollo had provided travel services for more than 210,000 people. Robotaxi is expected to serve more than 3 million users across 30 cities throughout the next three years.