If there is an option for a self-driving car when you take a taxi, will you choose it?

Autopilot taxis set off a wave of trial operations

In the recent past, various auto companies and technology companies have launched a wave of trial operation of autonomous taxis across the country. First, Baidu Company announced that residents of Changsha City, Hunan Province can try out "autonomous taxis" for free through Baidu Maps and Baidu application-related small programs; then, AutoNavi also announced that Shanghai residents can experience driverless cars in specific areas. The driverless taxi provided by the company AutoX; in addition, the latest news shows that Cao Cao's special car is also modifying Geely's "Geometry A" self-driving car, and it is expected to start testing in the near future.

It is understood that the experience of self-driving taxi users who use AutoNavi or Baidu products can experience free of charge as long as they choose to take the self-driving taxi. In the process of driving the vehicle, the self-driving car can intelligently identify the traffic lights in front, the surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, and the facilities on both sides of the road, and can also plan the route reasonably according to the order itinerary. The person in charge of AutoNavi Taxi emphasized that unlike other self-driving cars that can only park at a fixed location, the autonomous taxi provided by AutoNavi Taxi can safely park near the starting point of passengers. However, due to the fact that the relevant technology is still not fully mature and is restricted by current laws and regulations, no matter whether it is in Changsha or Shanghai, driverless taxis have not yet achieved true driverless driving. At present, each car will be equipped with a safety personnel.

In the recent past, various auto companies and technology companies have launched a wave of trial operation of autonomous taxis across the country. First, Baidu Company announced that residents of Changsha City, Hunan Province can try out "autonomous taxis" for free through Baidu Maps and Baidu application-related small programs; then, AutoNavi also announced that Shanghai residents can experience driverless cars in specific areas. The driverless taxi provided by the company AutoX; in addition, the latest news shows that Cao Cao's special car is also modifying Geely's "Geometry A" self-driving car, and it is expected to start testing in the near future.

It is understood that the experience of self-driving taxi users who use AutoNavi or Baidu products can experience free of charge as long as they choose to take the self-driving taxi. In the process of driving the vehicle, the self-driving car can intelligently identify the traffic lights in front, the surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, and the facilities on both sides of the road, and can also plan the route reasonably according to the order itinerary. The person in charge of AutoNavi Taxi emphasized that unlike other self-driving cars that can only park at a fixed location, the autonomous taxi provided by AutoNavi Taxi can safely park near the starting point of passengers. However, due to the fact that the relevant technology is still not fully mature and is restricted by current laws and regulations, no matter whether it is in Changsha or Shanghai, driverless taxis have not yet achieved true driverless driving. At present, each car will be equipped with a safety personnel.

On the road of unmanned taxi exploration, WAYMO started earlier. As early as 2016, WAYMO started piloting autonomous vehicles in Arizona; on December 5, 2018, WAYMO launched WAYMO One, the first commercial car-hailing service for autonomous driving to serve passengers, and its service area is WAYMO The first place to conduct driverless taxi business testing-four suburbs around Phoenix, California, including Chandler, Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert, the service area is about 1 million square miles. As of the end of 2019, the self-driving taxi service launched by WAYMO in Arizona, USA has picked up more than 100,000 passengers. WAYMO said that since January 2019, the number of riders has been increasing every week, and there are currently about 1,500 users each month. It is reported that WAYMO said in an email recently that in the near future, users will have the opportunity to take driverless taxis without safety officers.

In China, Wenyuan Zhixing was the first to start the driverless taxi business. At the end of November 2019, Wenyuan Zhixing launched the Robotaxi (i.e. driverless taxi) fully open operation service. The "members" of the fleet are forty blue Dongfeng Nissan Sylphy, and the body is consistent with the Guangzhou standard taxi. In February of this year, Wenyuan Zhixing released an operation report. The data showed that the fleet completed 8,396 trip orders in the first month of operation (December 2019), with an average daily trip service of 270.8 times. The maximum number of orders per day reached 438, and the total number of service orders The mileage reached 41140 kilometers, a total of 4683 users were served, and the accident rate was zero.

Prospects for the future

According to estimates by NIO Capital, the market size of driverless taxis is about 350 billion yuan. This promising market is attracting more and more car companies and technology companies to deploy. Auto companies such as GM Cruise, Ford Argo AI, UberATG, Navya, and Tesla have all targeted driverless taxis as one of their important strategic goals.

According to estimates by NIO Capital, the market size of driverless taxis is about 350 billion yuan. This promising market is attracting more and more car companies and technology companies to deploy. Auto companies such as GM Cruise, Ford Argo AI, UberATG, Navya, and Tesla have all targeted driverless taxis as one of their important strategic goals.

WAYMO CEO John Krafcik showed a cautious attitude towards autonomous driving: "In the next few decades, autonomous driving technology will not be ubiquitous, and there will always be restrictions on driverless cars." Indeed, from the current situation. Look, whether it is product technology, road conditions, or laws and regulations, it may take a long time for driverless taxis to "full open".

However, it is undeniable that the current exploration and practice of various car companies in this application scenario is still of great significance for promoting the landing and commercialization of autonomous driving technology. At the moment when large and comprehensive technical solutions are still in the foreseeable future, it is better to seek specific scenarios that are easier to implement, and let consumers enjoy the convenience brought by these advanced technologies in certain areas.