[Beijing Diary] Are Robots Perfect Taxi Drivers?

Affordable Price for Stable Constant Speed Driving Draws Attention
Regional Introduction and Agility Remain Irreplaceable

My recent experience riding a robot taxi in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province in China, can be summed up in one word: "shocking." The stable operation and affordable price were eye-opening. Given Wuhan's notoriously rough driving culture, the robot driver's steady driving was incredibly comforting (and also easy on the wallet). While China's technological ambitions and rapid development certainly warrant caution and vigilance, from the perspective of an ordinary citizen burdened by daily life, I couldn't help but silently cheer "Long live artificial intelligence (AI)!"

However, paradoxically, my experience in Wuhan also confirmed that AI will find it difficult to completely replace human capabilities in driving anytime soon. Depending on the situation, AI can provide near-perfect service or abandon the virtues expected of a taxi driver. I would like to share some personal impressions.

A taxi driver met in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China, on the 5th, is driving. He also gave a brief introduction to the area. (Photo by Hyunjung Kim)

On the 6th, the roads near Wuhan Station, a representative chronic congestion area in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, are completely blocked. (Photo by Hyunjung Kim)

Upon first arriving in Wuhan, I had to take a human-driven taxi to the location where I could board the robot taxi. Although Wuhan has the most roads open to AI across China, passengers cannot freely choose the boarding and alighting points for robot taxis.

The taxi driver I caught at Wuhan Station was a young man in his late twenties, and his driving was somewhat rough. He would curse loudly if the car ahead was slow and repeatedly cut in sharply. This is a type of taxi driver not hard to encounter not only in China but also in Korea.

As we crossed the Yangtze River Bridge heading from Wuhan Station to Chirimiao Station, smoke was rising from the chimney of a factory that looked like a steel mill on the right side. My companions and I were pointing and discussing in Korean which company it might be, when the driver perceptively told us, "That is Wuhan Iron and Steel (武?, Wugang)." He also explained, "The Yangtze River is not usually this yellow, but it has become very turbid recently due to continuous rain." He then shared helpful information about various local situations and about the robot taxi as well.

On the way back to Beijing after the business trip, I became more convinced of the irreplaceable capabilities of human drivers. While touring museums filled with Communist Party revolutionary sites such as Mao Zedong's former residence, I realized that the train schedule was getting tight. All trains to Beijing were fully booked, so missing the train would have caused serious trouble.

We hurriedly hailed a taxi to the station, and the driver, seeing our anxious pacing, asked what time our train was. After roughly explaining the fastest route based on experience, he started to hurry to get us there on time. I secretly hoped he would drive recklessly at that moment. Thanks to this "veteran driver," we arrived at the station without delay, and we repeatedly thanked him. The difference between reckless and veteran driving was just a thin line.

It will probably be impossible for AI to completely replace human drivers for a while. We need gentleman drivers who maintain steady speeds, but sometimes we also need drivers who consider the passenger's circumstances and break a sweat together. That is, until AI drivers appear who can introduce a new city to first-time visitors and even take into account the passenger's personal time constraints.