China Presses Pause on Self-Driving Taxis Nationwide After Issue Where They Blocked Streets. America Could Learn a Lot From That

China Presses Pause on Self-Driving Taxis Nationwide After Issue Where They Blocked Streets. America Could Learn a Lot From That

Earlier this year, dozens of autonomous vehicles from the Chinese company Baidu suddenly stopped in their tracks in Wuhan, China, triggering major chaos and sparking alarm among lawmakers in Beijing. Not much later, the country’s government decided to stop issuing new licenses for new autonomous vehicles altogether, as Bloomberg reported last week, once again highlighting persistent pain points in the rollout of the tech — not to mention how far…

China Hits the Brakes on Robotaxis After Baidu Fleet Freezes in Wuhan

Beijing has drawn a firm line. After dozens of Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis abruptly halted across busy streets in Wuhan on March 31, stranding passengers for up to two hours and snarling traffic, Chinese authorities suspended the issuance of new autonomous vehicle permits nationwide. The move, first reported by Bloomberg, blocks operators from expanding fleets, launching fresh pilot programs or entering additional cities. It signals a sharp shift …