Chinese autonomous vehicle maker AutoX has opened its robotaxi pilot program to the public in Shenzhen, China, without human safety drivers.
After the company began final testing of the driverless robotaxis on public streets late last year, the public can sign up for the pilot program through a registration page for a ride through public streets.
China’s autonomous driving pioneer AutoX has opened its fully driverless RoboTaxi pilot program to the public in Shenzhen, after its taxis hit the road last month for final testing. This marks the first time that the public will be able to book a completely autonomous RoboTaxi without accompanying safety drivers in China, AutoX said.
During the ride, passengers can check in with support agents digitally for assistance or questions if necessary. AutoX said the new project has been equipped with internet connectivity from multiple supplies, fortified with fiber-optics and supported by a back-up power system to keep consumers connected during the trip as well as to levy roadside assistance if needed.
In the video, a passenger enters a robotaxi and then navigates through public roads in Shenzhen, avoiding bikers in its path, and dealing with a double-parked car, scooters running traffic lights, drivers taking unprotected left turns and more.
Shenzhen testing
Since mid-2020, AutoX has been testing its driverless robotaxis in Shenzhen after receiving approval from the provincial government to deploy them on public roads. Prior to road testing, the vehicles were put through a series of government-mandated autonomous vehicle tests at the Shenzhen Pingshan Self-driving Car Test Center.
AutoX has been operating more than 100 robotaxis in the cities of Shenzhen, Shanghai and Wuhan with and without human safety drivers. Last year, AutoX received a fully driverless permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to allow autonomous passenger vehicles to driver up to 45 miles per hour on the state’s public roads without a safety driver. It is only the second permit given to companies in the state.
