Elon Musk’s big bet on robot taxis will finally be announced Thursday afternoon PT. It’s been a long road, with the billionaire promising fully self-driving cars starting in 2016 and a robotaxi network starting in 2019. So far, Tesla only offers driving assistance, which still requires constant human driver supervision.
But Tesla is already lagging behind in the robotaxis race, many of which are based in China, one of the most important markets for the U.S. automaker. Several Chinese startups and tech companies are already testing self-driving cars in cities such as Guangzhou, Wuhan and Beijing, with help from city governments.
Guangzhou-based WeRide was founded in 2017 and already has commercial operations in China. Pony.ai, a fellow self-driving car startup that counts Toyota among its backers, has received permission to operate commercial robotaxis in major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Big tech companies are also getting in on the action. Internet giant Baidu is offering fully self-driving services in the cities of Wuhan, Beijing, Chongqing, and Shenzhen through its Apollo Go service. The company also offers self-driving cars with safety drivers elsewhere.
According to Baidu’s latest earnings report, the service provided nearly 900,000 rides in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 26% year-over-year.
Chinese robotaxi providers are also considering introducing their models overseas.
WeRide has received permission to operate robotaxis in the UAE from early 2023. Last month, the company announced a partnership with Uber, with the ride-hailing app agreeing to offer WeRide’s robotaxi service on its platform. The partnership is expected to launch later this year.
The company has also received permission to test RoboBus in Singapore.
Nikkei Asia reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Baidu is in talks with foreign automakers and ride-sharing platforms to expand its services overseas. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Baidu wants to bring Apollo Go to Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Middle East. Baidu did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
Pony.ai is also reportedly exploring markets in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to launch robotaxi services.
Pony.ai already has a memorandum of understanding with ComfortDelGro, a major transport operator in Singapore. ComfortDelGro Chief Executive Officer Chen Siak Qian said during the memorandum signing in July that the partnership will allow both parties to develop large-scale commercial robotaxis services in China, and subsequently ComfortDelGro’s key international markets. He said he would be able to consider the business.
Chinese startups are also testing robotaxis in the United States, particularly in California, which has a dedicated system for companies to test robotaxis on the road.
California issued a WeRide permit in August that allows test vehicles to carry passengers with or without a driver for three years. WeRide is not permitted to provide or charge rides to the general public.
Tesla’s self-driving in China
After Musk’s surprise visit to China in April, the Chinese government reportedly gave Tesla provisional approval to begin fully autonomous driving (driving assistance services) in China. There is.
A few weeks after the visit, state media reported that Mr. Musk had asked the Chinese government to let him test driver-assistance software on Tesla robot taxis, likely in the city of Shanghai, where Tesla has a huge factory.
Tesla then announced plans to launch fully autonomous driving in China in the first quarter of 2025.
According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, US automakers’ sales of Chinese-made EVs rose 19.2% in September compared to the same month last year.
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