Baidu Launches Humanless Robotaxis in Beijing.
Chinese tech company Baidu has received government approval to operate robotaxis in a part of Beijing with no human staff or driver inside, eliminating labor costs for up to 10 permitted vehicles. The suburb of Yizhuang is the primary site of Baidu's robotaxi public road testing and operation in Beijing city, and public transport users can book heavily subsidized rides through the company's app. Baidu's shares briefly soared by more than 15% during Hong Kong trading on Friday following the announcement.