Baidu Inc.’s ride-hailing service will deploy cars without humans behind the wheel on Chinese roads for the first time, a symbolic victory in a years-long quest to carve out businesses beyond internet advertising.
Baidu, the search giant now investing heavily to commercialize artificial intelligence technology and autonomous driving, is one of two companies to secure the country’s first permits to operate a fleet of self-driving robotaxis without someone in the driver’s seat. The approval covers just part of Beijing for now, but marks a relaxation of Chinese rules.
