A taxi service using unmanned vehicles is being launched in Shanghai on a trial basis, writes China Daily on July 18.
The city administration has granted permission to four companies to launch unmanned taxis. They are now completing final checks and trips with driverless taxis will begin on July 22.
The self-driving taxis will operate in a dedicated 68-square-kilometer trial area in Shanghai’s Lingang Special Zone in Pudong. Passengers will be able to call self-driving taxis to travel in this zone using a WeChat app, a popular service in China.
During trial operation, each ride will include a safety operator in the front passenger seat, who will be able to take control in the event of a critical situation.
Tech giant Baidu has become a pioneer in this field in China. Its Apollo Go service was tested in China, after which the company’s self-driving taxis began appearing in other Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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