Shanghai has issued its first batch of pilot licenses for autonomous vehicles, with fleets of driverless robotaxis now cleared to ply their trade on the city’s streets.
Eight companies—including Pony.ai, Baidu’s Apollo Go, SAIC Motor, and Qiangsheng Taxi—may now operate cars with no safety driver in the front seat.
Image via Apollo Go
Pony.ai has wasted no time, teaming up with Jinjiang Taxi to launch a service in Pudong’s Jinqiao and Huamu areas.
Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 9.30pm, passengers can hail a robotaxi through the Pony.ai app or its WeChat and Alipay mini-programs.
“It’s just like hailing a regular taxi,” said Dai Dunfeng, a spokesperson for Pony.ai, “except that no driver shows up.”
Image via Apollo Go
For now, Pony.ai robotaxi rides are limited to those two areas, but there are plans to slowly open up more districts, and eventually encompass the whole city.
“Shanghai plans to expand its driverless zones citywide, starting with full coverage in Pudong and later adding districts like Fengxian and Minhang,” explained Han Dadong, an official with the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization.
Image via Apollo Go
The taxis are equipped with seven cameras, four lidars, and a number of millimeter-wave radar, forming a powerful sensory system that Pony.ai claims ensures safe navigation.
Passengers may only sit in the back of the robotaxis, with a partition between the front and rear seats preventing them from reaching the steering wheel.
The base fare is RMB14 for the first three kilometers—the same as a regular taxi.
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[Cover image via Apollo Go]