Baidu rolls out paid driverless taxi service in Beijing

Chinese tech giant Baidu has rolled out its paid driverless taxi service, making it the first company that's commercialized autonomous driving operations in China

BEIJING -- Chinese tech giant Baidu rolled out its paid driverless taxi service on Sunday, making it the first company to commercialize autonomous driving operations in China. Unlike previous Baidu autonomous driving demonstrations in Beijing, this was the first time there was no safety driver sitting behind the wheel. Instead, a safety member was seated in the front passenger seat to deal with any emergencies. Up to 10 Apollo “robotaxis” are now operating simultaneously in an area of about 3 square kilometers (1.2 square miles), picking up and dropping off passengers at eight stops in Shougang Park in western Beijing. Each ride costs 30 yuan ($4.60), and is open to passengers ages 18 to 60. The park is a former site of iron and steel plants that's been redeveloped into a sightseeing destination and a future venue for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Although traffic flows aren't heavy, an influx of tourists was seen in the park on the second day of China's international labor day holiday.