Beijing authorizes paid Baidu and Pony.ai robotaxi services
Beijing authorized Baidu and Pony.ai to charge passengers for autonomous robotaxi trips in a 60-square-kilometre zone, moving both companies from testing into commercial service while retaining safety drivers.
TOWARD DOOM44confidence 95/100
Why it moved the index
Paid metropolitan robotaxi operation materially advanced commercial deployment of consequential autonomous systems, with magnitude moderated because onboard safety drivers remained required.
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Assessment history
- R1Toward 44 · confidence 95
New exact-timestamp reporting, corroborated by Pony.ai's primary announcement, of authorization to begin paid autonomous passenger service in Beijing.
12 Aug 2026