China’s Baidu Receives the First-Ever Permit to Operate its ‘Apollo Go’ Robotaxi Service in Beijing Without Safety Drivers Onboard

China’s Baidu Inc. has received the first-ever permits in China authorizing the company to provide fully-driverless ride-hailing services to the public in Beijing, meaning that no safety drivers will be present in the vehicles. The robotaxi vehicles will offer rides to passengers in a designated area of 60 square kilometers in the city. Baidu aims to be one of the world’s first companies to scale and commercialize autonomous driving technology in China.