[Report] The More It Runs, The More Sophisticated It Becomes... Visiting the Chinese Unmanned Taxi Hub That Has Driven 100 Million km

Beijing Baidu Apollo Park in China
World's Largest Autonomous Driving Test Complex
Unmanned Taxis Reduce Costs and Advance Technology Through Generations

113,681,252 km, 113,681,277 km….

A large wall-sized screen displays the real-time accumulated driving distance of autonomous taxis. It steadily increases by tens of kilometers within seconds. This information is collected through Baidu’s Luobo Kuaipao command center located in Apollo Park within the Yizhuang Economic Development Zone in Beijing.

Apollo is the project name introduced in 2017 by Baidu, China’s largest search engine, which began autonomous driving research in 2013 and integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology to conduct full-scale demonstration research. Just as humanity consolidated countless studies to reach the moon for the first time, Apollo reflects the determination to be the first to achieve the uncharted territory of autonomous driving.

Inside a Baidu autonomous taxi. Some taxis have safety personnel, while others have no one at all. On this day, the taxi the reporter rode carried two passengers and drove itself for about 10 km.
[Photo by Choi Dae-yeol]

Luobo Kuaipao is a service name coined by Baidu, combining the meanings of “not existing” and “running fast.” Various IT companies in China are refining autonomous driving technology, but Baidu was the first to obtain a commercial license and start service in 2021.

The Yizhuang district is a region in Beijing densely populated with advanced IT industries, where Baidu and various local IT companies conduct autonomous driving demonstration research. Apollo Park, visited by Korean reporters on the 25th of last month, spans 30,000 square meters, making it the largest single autonomous driving test site in the world. A Baidu employee in charge of the on-site explanation said, “Baidu initially focused on search services but has concentrated on advancing autonomous driving technology by applying deep learning and AI over the past decade.”

The Apollo Park exhibition hall displays all generations of autonomous vehicles, including the first test model ‘Polaris’ introduced in 2013, as well as the Cherry EQ and Hongqi EV. The current fifth-generation ‘Apollo Moon’ operates in parts of Beijing and Wuhan. It is a model developed in collaboration with Arcfox, the electric vehicle-only brand of the state-owned automaker Beijing Automotive.

Autonomous vehicles exhibited within Baidu's autonomous driving test complex, Apollo Park. All models from the first-generation test car to the latest sixth-generation concept model are displayed by generation.
[Photo by Choi Daeyeol]

On that day, Korean reporters took autonomous taxis in pairs. In Korea, safety personnel often sit in the driver’s or front passenger seat during autonomous driving service demonstrations to prepare for any unforeseen situations or accidents, but on this occasion, two reporters sat together in the back seat.

The unmanned taxi, having exited the closed test site, drove about 10 kilometers on public roads as if a human were behind the wheel. At turns, it safely recognized cars, pedestrians, and various objects approaching from both sides. It was impressive not only that the car drove autonomously but also that the authorities made the decision to allow autonomous vehicles on public roads.

At intersections, the vehicle responded appropriately to traffic signals. It naturally slowed down and stopped at red lights, and when the light turned green, it made an unprotected left turn in coordination with oncoming traffic. On a quiet three-lane road, it accelerated to around 70 km/h.

When encountering a slow-moving street sweeper, the response was somewhat sluggish. If a person had been driving, they might have overtaken considering the opposite lane’s situation, but the unmanned taxi assumed the vehicle ahead was simply moving slowly and matched its pace. After several dozen meters, when the street sweeper moved to the side of the road, the taxi resumed its original speed.

In one corner of the exhibition hall was the recently unveiled sixth-generation autonomous taxi concept model. Unlike the fourth-generation Hongqi EV taxi, which was developed with autonomous driving in mind, this new model features no steering wheel at all. Development costs have also been significantly reduced. The fifth-generation taxi tested cost 480,000 yuan (approximately 91 million KRW), whereas the new unmanned taxi is priced at 204,600 yuan (about 39 million KRW), less than half. It was developed in collaboration with local automaker Changling Motors. Previously, complex equipment such as radars was imported from foreign countries like the U.S., but they are gradually switching to domestically produced components, lowering costs step by step.

Baidu's 6th generation autonomous taxi concept model. There is no steering wheel on the driver's side inside the cabin either.
[Photo by Choi Dae-yeol]

Another strength of Baidu is the vast amount of data accumulated through active commercial operations. It drives over 100,000 kilometers daily across more than ten cities throughout China. The number of taxi calls has surpassed six million to date. Owning a search engine widely used by the majority of Chinese people, Baidu’s voice recognition is top-notch, and it utilizes map information from across China, which foreign companies find difficult to access due to security issues. For example, if you say, “Show me a road with beautiful cherry blossoms,” it will suggest appropriate driving courses or locations.

A company representative said, “In addition to supplying hardware and software solutions for autonomous driving to automakers, we are also directly developing smart road system infrastructure equipped with AI chips.”

A self-driving taxi about to depart from Baidu's autonomous driving test site, Apollo Park. This is the 5th generation model currently operating commercially in the Beijing and Wuhan areas.
[Photo by Choi Dae-yeol]

※This article was produced with the assistance of the Korea Press Foundation and China Xinhua News Agency.