Baidu (NASDAQ:), the Chinese language know-how big, has been granted a license to check its autonomous autos in Hong Kong by means of its Apollo robotaxi service. The license, issued by the Transport Division of Hong Kong on Friday, permits Baidu Apollo Worldwide Ltd to conduct trials with 10 autonomous autos in North Lantau.
The allow is ready to be legitimate for a five-year interval, ranging from December 9, 2024, till December 8, 2029. Initially, the testing section will allow just one self-driving automobile on specified street sections at any given time. As a security precaution, a backup operator will likely be current on board to imagine management of the car if mandatory.
This growth comes as a part of Hong Kong’s broader initiative to embrace autonomous driving know-how. The federal government has been actively selling using autonomous autos since no less than 2017 and has not too long ago expanded trials to incorporate public roads, following new regulatory laws enacted in March this 12 months.
The issuance of this pilot license by the Hong Kong authorities is a primary below the brand new regulatory framework and represents Baidu’s inaugural allow for autonomous car testing outdoors of mainland China.
Baidu’s robotaxi service, Apollo Go, at the moment operates in a number of Chinese language cities and boasts the most important fleet in Wuhan, central China, with over 400 autos.
Amid intensifying competitors within the autonomous car business, Baidu goals to increase its robotaxi operations past mainland China to areas resembling Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Center East, as reported by the Wall Avenue Journal final month.
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