Apollo autonomous driving services including Robotaxi, Robobus and Apolong will commence trial operations on public roads in the city.
Going forward, Baidu is expected to deploy over 100 Robotaxis and establish almost 1,000 pickup stations in Guangzhou Huangpu District.
Baidu, has deployed a multi-modal autonomous driving MaaS (mobility as a service) platform to provide AI-driven city transportation services in Guangzhou. Utilising a fleet of Apollo Robotaxis and Robobuses and 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 smart transportation’s promising commercialisation prospects in the intelligent era.
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One of many Apollo Go pickup stations in Guangzhou, China
Baidu has partnered with the Guangzhou Huangpu District government to roll out the world’s first multi-modal autonomous driving MaaS platform. By integrating an assortment of autonomous driving services to provide travel recommendations, this diverse platform can holistically optimize users’ travelling experience in line with combined platform strategies. Comprising of over 40 autonomous vehicles, the collective fleet has deployed five different model types – Robotaxi, Robobus, Apolong, Apollocop and New Species Vehicle – to begin comprehensively serving the city during the bustling holiday period. Citizens can make reservations on the Baidu Maps and Apollo Go mobile applications to witness these new exciting autonomous driving initiatives and experience the convenience brought on by intelligent transportation technology. With the ability to cover various usage scenarios, the MaaS platform ecosystem can meet the diverse needs of many citizens during their holiday sightseeing, shopping and celebratory outings.
Baidu Apollo has established over 50 Robotaxi pickup stations in the district to facilitate this, providing users with easy access to Chinese New Year festival sites using autonomous vehicles. Simultaneously, a batch of New Species Vehicles is cruising around the city, tasked with unmanned retail, as well as routine cleaning and disinfection. Apolong minibuses will shuttle eager sightseers to the flower blossoms around scenic parks and lakes. Meanwhile, Apollocop patrols the main roads near key areas and the Baidu Robobus will ferry passengers along fixed routes, facilitating community travels towards festive destinations.
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The MaaS platform for multi-modal autonomous driving vehicles and ACE Transportation Engine demonstrated by this Chinese New Year launch has accelerated the arrival of the intelligent era of smart transportation. Guangzhou’s open and inclusive policy environment fosters and encourages the development of the autonomous driving industry.
