Robotaxis get green light for Daxing airport service

Beijing has granted permits to several robotaxi operators, including Baidu Inc and Pony.ai, allowing them to offer driverless vehicle services at Beijing Daxing International Airport, a key step indicating that the city has become the world's first capital to run autonomous passenger vehicles between urban areas and the airport.

Industry experts said the move marks a milestone in China's efforts to develop an intelligent transportation system, and will further bolster the commercial application of self-driving technology.

The approval, granted by the head office of Beijing High-Level Automated Driving Demonstration Area, allows these companies to provide self-driving vehicle services on 40-kilometer expressways connecting the international airport with Yizhuang in Beijing's Daxing district, as well as in some designated areas within the airport.

The permits come with the precondition that a safety inspector will sit behind the steering wheel and take manual control in case of an emergency.

The Beijing municipal government has unveiled plans to expand the scope of demonstration zones for high-level autonomous driving this year and promote the orderly launch of self-driving services in key areas such as airports, railway stations and urban roads.

"The approval is of great significance in further accelerating the commercialization of autonomous driving technology across the nation," said Zhang Xiang, a researcher at the Jiangxi New Energy Technology Institute, adding that other first-tier cities are likely to follow Beijing and allow the commercial operation of driverless vehicles at their airports in the future.

A report released by global consultancy IHS Markit said the market size of China's self-driving taxi services is expected to surpass 1.3 trillion yuan ($180.6 billion) by 2030, accounting for 60 percent of the ride-hailing market nationwide.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn