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.
The robotaxis were repeatedly forced to brake when encountering jaywalkers or curious tourists who came close to the vehicles for photos.
Kelly Wang and her husband, who both work in the artificial intelligence industry, said they had a smooth riding experience.
“I would recommend people experience this. There is a strong sense of technology, because nobody is in the driver’s seat,” Wang said. Her husband was even considering buying such a car for their household.
Passengers can order a robotaxi on an app called Apollo Go. When the taxi arrives, passengers must have their identities verified before getting in. The taxi will start to move after it detects the passengers have fastened their seat belts.
One visitor, Amy Li, still had concerns about autonomous driving, because driving behavior on the road can be complex.
“We’ve all had experiences such as other cars jumping the queue or making a sudden lane change. People have emotions while robots don’t, at least at present,” she said “The robots may not be able to deal with such changes.”
Baidu, known for its search engines, has been testing autonomous driving on the open road since last year. Its Apollo Go robotaxi service has carried more than 210,000 passengers in three cities across China and aims to expand to 30 cities in the next three years, the company said in a press release.
“In the future, Baidu Apollo will launch driverless robotaxis in more cities, enabling the public to access greener, low-carbon and convenient travel services, while continuing to improve the unmanned service process and user experience,” said Wang, vice president and general manager of autonomous driving technology at Baidu in a statement.
Driverless taxis start operating in China
https://arab.news/2nfvv
Driverless taxis start operating in China
- Vehicles had to repeatdely stop as tourists took photos
- Passengers can hail taxis on dedicated app
UAE, Uzbekistan expand economic cooperation with mining sector pact
JEDDAH: The UAE has signed an agreement to expand cooperation in Uzbekistan’s mining sector, as the two countries seek to scale investment, modernize infrastructure and deepen economic ties.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Mohamed Hassan Al-Suwaidi, UAE minister of investment, and Jamshid Khodjaev, Uzbekistan’s deputy prime minister, according to the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM.
The agreement comes amid growing bilateral investment flows. UAE investments in Uzbekistan reached $1.3 billion in 2024, including about $700 million in renewable energy, with more than $4 billion in joint projects currently under development, WAM reported.
Commenting on the MoU, Al-Suwaidi said that his country and Uzbekistan share a longstanding relationship built on mutual trust and strong economic cooperation.
“Today’s signing reflects the UAE’s commitment to forging strategic international partnerships in sectors of mutual interest that support sustainable development and long-term economic value creation,” he said.
By working closely with Uzbekistan, he added, the UAE aims to unlock high-quality investment opportunities across the minerals value chain for the benefit of both nations.
The agreement focuses on the development and modernization of key supporting infrastructure, including power generation, renewable energy, grid enhancements, water systems, and logistics networks.
It also aims to advance sector digitalization, innovation, and responsible governance to reinforce long-term resilience and sustainability.
Under the MoU, cooperation will span investment activities across the full mining value chain, from exploration and development through to downstream manufacturing.
Khodjaev emphasized that the MoU marks an important step in strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Gulf state in the minerals sector.
“Through collaboration on investment facilitation, governance, workforce development, and monitoring frameworks, we aim to support responsible mineral development and create sustainable industrial growth opportunities for both economies,” he said.
According to WAM, the agreement establishes a collaboration framework involving government and regulatory authorities, state-owned investment companies and private sector partners, enabling the structuring of financing mechanisms such as foreign direct investment and public-private partnerships.
Uzbekistan’s mining sector is a key economic driver, producing commodities such as gold, copper, uranium, coal, oil, and natural gas, according to the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce.
The sector is undergoing modernization as the government expands upstream-to-downstream capacity, attracts foreign investment, and upgrades infrastructure through state-owned enterprises while tapping international capital markets.
