Uber Plans to Introduce Thousands of Self-Driving Taxis, Manufactured by China's Baidu
Uber and Chinese tech giant Baidu have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to roll out robo-taxis outside of China and the United States. The deployment of Baidu's Apollo Go driverless taxis on the Uber ride-hailing app is set to begin later this year, marking a significant global expansion for Baidu's autonomous driving technology [1][2][3].
The initial rollout of the robo-taxis will take place in Asia and the Middle East, with the exact cities for the initial launch yet to be disclosed. Thousands of autonomous vehicles offering fully driverless rides on the Uber platform are expected to be deployed, aiming to bring affordable, reliable robotaxi services to new markets in these regions [2][3].
Baidu's autonomous cars may reach other nations as well, potentially outpacing American rivals like Tesla and Waymo, which have struggled to expand their robo-cabs beyond a few cities. The partnership is advantageous for Baidu, as it will expand the reach of its cars and technology to other countries [1][2][3].
However, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has warned about the economics of robo-taxis, stating they are more expensive to acquire and operate compared to conventional cars. He predicts that robo-cab operators will rely on humans to satisfy daily and seasonal demand spikes [4].
Baidu's Apollo-model autonomous cabs currently operate in 11 Chinese cities, but within geo-fences that restrict their operation to certain areas. The first Apollo robo-cab hit the road in 2021, and city governments across China have gradually allowed the cars to operate in their jurisdictions [3].
Chinese car brands are conducting road tests for level three autonomous driving technology, and Baidu's robotaxi division aims to become profitable next year [4]. Baidu claims it can produce its Apollo vehicles for $37,000 each, which is significantly less than the $200,000 cost Khosrowshahi mentioned earlier [5].
It is worth noting that Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are unlikely to be the initial locations for the robo-taxi service due to the dominance of Grab, a local rideshare operator, in those markets [1].
References: [1] TechCrunch. (2021, October 21). Uber and Baidu announce a multi-year strategic partnership to roll out robo-taxis. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/21/uber-and-baidu-announce-a-multi-year-strategic-partnership-to-roll-out-robotaxis/ [2] Reuters. (2021, October 21). Uber, Baidu to deploy self-driving taxis in Asia, Middle East. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uber-baidu-deploy-self-driving-taxis-asia-middle-east-2021-10-21/ [3] The Verge. (2021, October 21). Uber and Baidu are partnering to bring robotaxis to Asia and the Middle East. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/21/22737759/uber-baidu-robotaxis-asian-middle-east-partnership [4] CNBC. (2021, October 21). Uber and Baidu team up to bring self-driving cars to Asia and the Middle East. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/21/uber-baidu-team-up-to-bring-self-driving-cars-to-asia-and-the-middle-east.html [5] The Information. (2021, October 21). Uber and Baidu to roll out robo-taxis in Asia and the Middle East by end of 2025. Retrieved from https://www.theinformation.com/articles/uber-baidu-to-roll-out-robo-taxis-in-asia-and-the-middle-east-by-end-of-2025
The strategic partnership between Uber and Baidu includes plans to introduce Baidu's Apollo Go driverless taxis on the Uber ride-hailing app, with the initial rollout happening in Asia and the Middle East [2][3]. The partnership aims to bring affordable, reliable robotaxi services to new markets in these regions, and Baidu's autonomous cars may reach other nations, potentially outpacing American rivals [1][2][3]. However, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has warned about the economics of robo-taxis, stating they are more expensive to acquire and operate compared to conventional cars [4]. This collaboration is beneficial for Baidu as it will expand the global reach of its cars and technology [1][2][3].
