Baidu has sold 100 self-driving minibuses this July which now operates in 10 locations and has carried 10,000 passengers. Chinese state-owned autos manufacturer, FAW, expects to launch the first Apollo L4 self-driving passenger car in 2019 and mass production in 2020. Baidu is also helping Changsha’s government to develop robotic taxis with expected launch in end-2019. Additionally, the company has signed a strategic contract to help Beijing and Shanghai government build smart cities.
With the government’s blessing, China could become world’s largest self-driving car market given its serious traffic problem. China Mobile is prepared to launch a nationwide 5G network in China when autonomous driving is ready.
