China’s Baidu Unveils Autonomous ‘Robotaxi’ With No Steering Wheel, To Deploy Thousands Next Year

Baidu unveils Autonomous Vehicle (AV), Apollo RT6, without steering wheel, to deploy tens of thousands next year.

Baidu said Apollo RT6’s driving capability can match a skilled human driver with over 20 years experience.

Apollo RT6 possess autonomous “Level 4 capabilities” – meaning it needs no human intervention.

Fully electric Apollo RT6 will cost £31,000 per unit, compared with £59,000 for the previous generation.

Baidu already runs Apollo Go, an autonomous ride-hailing service using self-driving robotaxis with safety staff.

Chinese search engine giant, Baidu, has unveiled its new autonomous vehicle (AV), Apollo RT6, which has a detachable steering wheel, with plans to use it for robotaxi services next year.

Baidu’s senior vice president Li Zhenyu said that ten of thousands of Apollo RT6 will hit the roads without a steering wheel once Chinese authorities approve it.

Zhenyu added that the driving capability of the self-driving Apollo RT6 can match that of a skilled human driver with over 20 years experience.

Fully electric Apollo RT6 will cost 250,000 yuan (£31,000) per unit, compared with 480,000 yuan (£59,000) for the previous generation.

“This massive cost reduction will enable us to deploy tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles (AVs) across China,” Baidu’s chief executive Robin Li said at the Baidu World 2022 technology conference.

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“We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today.”

The new vehicle has 8 lidars and 12 cameras alongside the car and will possess autonomous “Level 4 capabilities” – meaning it needs no human intervention.

Baidu already runs Apollo Go, an autonomous ride-hailing service using self-driving robotaxis with safety staff seated in the driver or passenger seat.

Since its launch in 2020, Apollo Go, Baidu’s robotaxi service, has operated over 1 million across 10 Chinese cities.

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