Baidu obtained approval to cost fares for its robotaxi rides within the Beijing suburb of Yizhuang in November 2021.
Vcg | Visible China Group | Getty Pictures
BEIJING — Chinese language tech firm Baidu stated its robotaxi enterprise in giant cities is near gaining the identical traction with locals as conventional ride-hailing companies.
Throughout the third quarter, every of Baidu’s self-driving taxis accomplished a median of greater than 15 rides a day in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, CEO Robin Li stated Tuesday, in accordance with a FactSet transcript of the earnings name.
“In accordance with our information, this quantity is sort of near the typical day by day rides for conventional ride-hailing companies,” Li stated. He didn’t share what number of automobiles have been in every native fleet.
For comparability, journeys per lively automobile on ride-hailing apps in New York Metropolis averaged about 12 a day in September, in accordance with the latest available municipal data.
In Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Baidu’s robotaxis — branded Apollo Go — can solely function in sure suburban areas.
The corporate didn’t say whether or not it may cost fares for its robotaxi rides in Guangzhou or Shanghai.
About 12 months in the past, Baidu gained Beijing city’s approval to start charging fares for robotaxi rides within the district of Yizhuang, about half an hour’s drive from the middle of the capital metropolis.
These rides nonetheless require a human workers member to take a seat within the automobile.
Nevertheless, this week Baidu stated it obtained approval from native Beijing authorities to check 10 robotaxis with none human workers within the entrance row.
Pony.ai, a start-up that additionally operates a robotaxi enterprise, stated it obtained comparable approval.
Each corporations’ robotaxi rides in Beijing’s Yizhuang district stay closely backed. A CNBC test of each Apollo Go and Pony.ai apps Wednesday discovered a reduction of greater than 80% was utilized.
Baidu has robotaxi operations in lots of cities in China, and may cost for fares in not less than seven, in accordance with the corporate.
Complete robotaxi journeys within the third quarter climbed by greater than 300% from a 12 months in the past to greater than 474,000 rides, the corporate stated Tuesday.
When requested in the course of the earnings name when Apollo Go would break even, the corporate stated it believed the robotaxi will finally be worthwhile and cheaper than present ride-hailing companies, and that the affect of to Baidu’s total revenue and loss and money circulate is “manageable.”
