Baidu unveils new robotaxi it says could halve commuting costs

A Baidu employee briefs members of the media on the Apollo RT6, a fully electric vehicle with an ‘optional’ steering wheel that can be removed or installed when required, on July 20, 2022, in Beijing. Chinese search engine and artificial intelligence firm Baidu on Thursday, July 21 unveiled its latest electric autonomous driving vehicle that it says will be soon be part of its robotaxi fleet, as China pushes forward with its autonomous driving ambitions. — AP

Baidu Inc unveiled a new version of its self-driving robotaxi that it says costs nearly half as much to make as the previous model, opening the opportunity for cheaper travel.

Apollo RT6 robotaxis are set to be mass-produced at a cost of 250,000 yuan (RM164,718) per unit, the Chinese search-engine giant said in a statement on July 21. The car, which has a detachable steering wheel, will become available on Baidu’s riding-hailing service in 2023. The company said it plans to eventually deploy “tens of thousands” of the robotaxis.