Tech takes the wheel: China’s driverless taxi service turn heads and raise eyebrows

Driverless taxis are increasingly seen cruising past office buildings and malls in Chinese cities, drawing both curiosity and concern.

China’s tech companies and automakers have invested billions in self-driving technology, aiming to catch up with industry leaders in the United States.

Wuhan, a central city, now boasts one of the largest networks of self-driving cars in the world, with over 500 taxis available through an app, just like regular rides.

At one intersection in an industrial area, AFP reporters observed at least five robotaxis navigating through regular traffic.

“It looks kind of magical, like a sci-fi movie,” a local resident named Yang told AFP. However, not everyone shares Yang’s enthusiasm.

Taxi service spark safety jitters and job fears

Concerns about safety arose in April when a Huawei-backed Aito car was involved in a fatal accident due to a failure in its automatic braking system. A minor collision between a jaywalker and a Wuhan robotaxi last month further fueled these worries.

Traditional taxi drivers and ride-hailing workers also fear being replaced by artificial intelligence, even though the technology is still developing.

Wuhan’s driverless cabs are part of Baidu’s Apollo Go project, which began operating in 2022 with just five vehicles over a 13 square kilometer area.

Service covers 3,000 square kilometers in Wuhan

The service now covers 3,000 square kilometers, including parts of the city center. For comparison, Waymo, a U.S. leader in self-driving technology, covers 816 square kilometers in Arizona.

Riders unlock the vehicles by scanning a QR code, and the front seats are blocked off for safety reasons. The fares are currently subsidised; a 30-minute ride costs 39 yuan ($5.43), compared to 64 yuan for a regular taxi.

“We don’t like them because they’re taking our livelihoods,” Wuhan taxi driver Deng Haibing told AFP.

He worries that once robotaxi companies dominate the market, they will raise prices, similar to what ride-hailing apps did in the 2010s. Currently, the impact is minimal because robotaxis are not yet widespread.

Robo-taxi boom meets skepticism

Despite growing interest, fully autonomous taxis still have a long way to go before they become commonplace, according to Tom Nunlist, a tech policy analyst at Trivium China.

“Everybody seems to think autonomous driving is inevitable, but I’m not so sure,” he told AFP, noting that the technology is not ready for large-scale deployment.

Even in Wuhan’s Apollo Go taxis, where human safety officers monitor rides remotely, the technology is still evolving.

During one ride, a remote operator reminded AFP reporters to buckle up using the car’s built-in touchscreen.

The lack of a human driver also raises practical concerns. “Some customers have disabilities or large items, and driverless cars can’t help them,” ride-hailing driver Zhao told AFP. “Only a human can.”

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