Didi Global, a Chinese ride-hailing giant, is working with domestic Chinese automotive OEMs to develop its own robotaxis, which it will put into service in 2025.
At the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show, Didi revealed its concept vehicle, called Didi Neuron, an autonomous shuttle with one robotic arm in the back to load cargo or luggage.
The company is working with multiple new energy vehicle (NEV) carmakers in China on developing the robotaxis and will be domestically produced and 90% of the key components will also be housed internally from the country.
The robotaxis will not have a driver’s seat or steering wheel to give passengers more room inside. The vehicle will be equipped with lidar sensors and other technology offerings that the company will announce later. Additionally, it features a robotic arm in the trunk of the robotaxi that can help pick up luggage of passengers or other cargo once the concept vehicle is commercially launched such as maybe for delivery of groceries or other items.
The company will join other robotaxi vendors already operating inside China including Baidu, which said it will build a robotaxi ride-hailing service throughout China this year after initially launching services in the cities of Beijing, Wuhan and Chongqing.
Pony.ai received a taxi license for autonomous vehicles in China that allows the company to operate 100 autonomous vehicles as traditional taxis in Nansha, Guangzhou. The move followed Pony.ai starting to charge fares for autonomous rides in Nansha. It is the second paid autonomous robotaxi service in China for Pony.ai after receiving a permit to charge money in Beijing, China, in 2021.
