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Baidu partners with automaker BAIC to mass produce Apollo robotaxis

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Baidu, the equivalent of Google in China and a developer of autonomous car technology, is partnering with automaker BAIC Group’s electric vehicle brand ArcFox to jointly release Apollo Moon, a new generation of robotaxis that are set to be mass-produced with a per unit manufacturing price of RMB 480,000 ($75,000). Apollo is a business unit of Baidu.

Said to be “only one third of the cost of average Level 4 autonomous vehicles”, Apollo Moon is described as “a monumental milestone” in the large-scale commercialization of fully autonomous ride-hailing services in the smart transportation industry.

Apollo Moon has a projected operating cycle of over five years and is slated to revolutionize the transportation sector by providing dependable long-term robotaxi ride-hailing services. [Read more…] about Baidu partners with automaker BAIC to mass produce Apollo robotaxis

Baidu Apollo to launch fully driverless ride-hailing services in Beijing

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Baidu Apollo will launch fully driverless robotaxi services to the public in Beijing starting from May 2, 2021.

This will be China’s first paid autonomous vehicle service where users can hail a robotaxi without a safety driver behind the steering wheel, marking a landmark step on the road to commercialization of autonomous driving.

The fully driverless Apollo Go Robotaxi service will first be launched in Beijing’s Shougang Park – one of the venues for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics – and will soon be transporting visitors at the games. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo to launch fully driverless ride-hailing services in Beijing

Baidu Apollo awarded China’s first licenses to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions

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Baidu Apollo has received China’s first batch of qualifications to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions on public roads in Beijing.

A total of 53 such test qualification notices along with five general public road test licenses were granted to Baidu Apollo at the Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone launch event on April 13, 2021. The Pilot Zone encompasses 225 square kilometers, six highways, and urban expressways that cover a total length of 143 kilometers.

The ability to transport users during peak rush hours, nighttime, and bad weather scenarios – such as rainstorm conditions – poses an immense challenge in regards to the perception, prediction, planning and control capabilities of autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo awarded China’s first licenses to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions

Baidu receives green light to demonstrate commercialized autonomous vehicles in China

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Baidu, China’s equivalent of Google and a developer of autonomous vehicles, has received qualifications for 35 of its “Apollo” vehicles to demonstrate commercialized autonomous driving operations, and qualifications for 10 vehicles to conduct driverless testing, by traffic authorities in Cangzhou city, in China.

These qualifications will allow Baidu to be the first company in China to experiment with various monetization mechanisms for autonomous driving services, marking a landmark step on Baidu Apollo’s road to commercialization.

With these qualifications, Baidu Apollo will be able to roll out commercialized demonstrations of its smart transportation services in Cangzhou, and explore various mechanisms for charging customers, such as discounts, trial tickets, and voluntary payments from riders, for the first time by any autonomous driving company in China. [Read more…] about Baidu receives green light to demonstrate commercialized autonomous vehicles in China

Baidu Apollo selected to build landmark 5G intelligent driving project in China

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Baidu, China’s equivalent of Google, says its autonomous car business unit Apollo has jointly won a bid to construct a 5G intelligent driving project in Chengdu in a tender worth RMB 105 million ($16.1 million).

The first project of its kind on Sichuan Province, the win adds to Baidu Apollo’s growing portfolio of smart transportation projects across China, which are leveraging the company’s strengths in AI-powered new infrastructure to bring about an intelligent transformation of transportation and urban management.

As part of the project, Baidu Apollo will develop 30 kilometers of intelligent connected demonstration roads in the Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo selected to build landmark 5G intelligent driving project in China

Baidu launches ‘world’s first’ multi-modal autonomous driving mobility-as-a-service platform

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Baidu, a driverless car developer and China’s equivalent of Google, has launched a multi-modal autonomous driving mobility as a service (MaaS) platform that will provide AI-driven city transportation services in Guangzhou, a city a hundred miles north-west of Hong Kong.

Utilizing a fleet of Apollo Robotaxis and Robobuses along with three other model types of autonomous vehicles, this initiative will allow local users to order smart transport services on demand, starting in the Chinese New Year holiday period.

The implementation of both Baidu Apollo and the ACE Transportation Engine is a testament to the promising commercialization prospects of smart transportation in the intelligent era. [Read more…] about Baidu launches ‘world’s first’ multi-modal autonomous driving mobility-as-a-service platform

Baidu Apollo receives driverless vehicle test permit in California

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Baidu Apollo has now been approved by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test driverless vehicles without a safety driver behind the wheel on public streets.

This makes Baidu the first permit holder in the state to receive driverless test permits for two different vehicle models due to the “robustness” of its AI driver system, according to the company.

Baidu says California will partner in its ongoing driverless testing program which began last year. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo receives driverless vehicle test permit in California

Baidu launches Apollo Go Robotaxi service in Beijing

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Baidu recently launched the Apollo Go Robotaxi service in Beijing, becoming the first company to allow people in China’s capital to use robotaxis.

The service encompasses the largest total area and longest road network of about 700 kilometers for a manned autonomous driving test area in China, with nearly 100 pick-up and drop-off stations covering residential and business areas in Yizhuang, Haidian, and Shunyi districts.

The launch event was held at Apollo Park, the world’s largest autonomous driving and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) test base and one of the Apollo Go stations, located in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. [Read more…] about Baidu launches Apollo Go Robotaxi service in Beijing

The 5 Best AI Companies to Consider in 2019

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Artificial intelligence is without a doubt the future of the tech industry.

It is a transformative technology whose positive impact has been felt across all sectors ranging from health care, advertisement, retail video gaming, and urban development.

Almost every aspect of our contemporary life has been touched either directly or indirectly by AI and the stock market is no exception.

The purpose of this article is to help choose the best AI Company for your business.

Here is a list of 5 companies to consider in 2019.  [Read more…] about The 5 Best AI Companies to Consider in 2019

Udelv unveils new autonomous delivery van and agrees ‘major contracts’ with Walmart, Baidu and others

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Udelv has unveiled the latest version of its autonomous delivery van at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show.

The company also announced what it described as “major contracts” with US supermarket giant Walmart and Baidu, which is like the Google of China.

Udelv’s autonomous delivery van says the latest model of its self-driving delivery vans feature “new state-of-the-art technology”.  [Read more…] about Udelv unveils new autonomous delivery van and agrees ‘major contracts’ with Walmart, Baidu and others