On Tuesday, numerous robotaxis operated by Chinese technology giant Baidu experienced a widespread operational freeze in a major city. This incident reportedly led to passengers being trapped inside vehicles, stranding them on highways, and contributing to at least one accident amidst severe traffic congestion.
Authorities in Wuhan confirmed receiving multiple reports detailing Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis immobilizing in roadways. Police indicated that no injuries were reported, and preliminary investigations point to an unspecified “system failure” as the cause of the extensive outage.
Wuhan serves as a significant hub for Baidu’s robotaxi operations, with the company having reportedly deployed over 500 driverless vehicles within the city. While the precise number of malfunctioning vehicles remains unconfirmed, local news reports, cited by Reuters, suggest that at least 100 robotaxis were impacted. Baidu did not provide an immediate response to The Verge's request for comment.
This event has reignited discussions concerning the safety of self-driving cars in China, a nation recognized as one of the most proactive adopters of autonomous technology, particularly amidst its aggressive global expansion. Baidu stands as a prominent operator in this sector, having deployed robotaxis in 26 cities worldwide, including strategic partnerships with Uber in London and Dubai.
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