AI company, Badu plans to roll out its fully autonomous vehicle (AV) by next year
Taxi commuters will ride on fully autonomous vehicles in China by 2023, with the launch of Baidu’s next-generation electric autonomous vehicle (AV), Apollo RT6. Designed with a detachable steering wheel, Baidu's AV can manouver around complex urban environments intelligently.
Tesla's chief executive, Elon Musk said in a conference with investors in April that the company aims to start mass production of its robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals in 2024, He predicted that a robotaxi ride will cost less than a bus ticket.
With a per unit cost of RMB 250,000 (SGD 37,000), the arrival of Apollo RT6 will accelerate AV deployment, bringing the world closer to a future of driverless and shared mobility.
"This massive cost reduction will enable us to deploy tens of thousands of AVs across China. We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a normal taxi today," said Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, at the company's flagship technology conference.
Intelligent car with sophisticated safety features
Apollo RT6 is integrated with advanced intelligent system with a computing power of up to 1200 traffic operator positioning system (TOPS).
The vehicle uses 38 sensors, including eight LiDAR sensors and 12 cameras, to obtain highly accurate, long-range detection on all sides.
The safety and reliability of Apollo RT6 are backed by a trove of real-world data and a total test mileage of over 32 million kilometres driven by Baidu's AV to date. This vehicle is completely automotive-grade and has full redundancy throughout both hardware and autonomous driving software.
Unlike its predecessors that were retrofitted from conventional vehicles, Baidu's 6th generation AV is distinct in that its steering wheel-free design gives more space to craft unique interiors, allowing you to install additional seating, vending machines, desktops, and even gaming consoles.
At 4.76m long with a wheelbase of 2.83m, the AV is fitted with independent rear seating and boasts ample rear legroom of 1.05m, a purely flat floor and equipped with an intelligent interactive system.
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The exterior features a revolutionary look that seamlessly integrates sensors on the sunroof alongside interactive lights and intelligent electric sliding doors to further enhance the riding experience.
According to Zhenyu Li, senior corporate vice president of Baidu and general manager of Intelligent Driving Group (IDG), he said the autonomous driving capability of Apollo RT6 is equivalent to a skilled driver with 20 years of experience.
The Apollo RT6 is paving the way to safer, greener and more efficient mobility solutions, Apollo Go has expanded to 10 cities in China since its launch in 2020, including all first-tier cities, and provided more than 1 million orders.
