Baidu launched its sixth-generation autonomous vehicles, the RT6, in several cities in China. The vehicles have level 4 autonomy, which means they can circulate without the need for a human driver. The RT6 stands out for its battery exchange system and individual price of less than US$30 thousand (R$174.03 thousand, in direct conversion).The sector is competitive (Photo: Sarunyu L/Shutterstock) According to The Verge, the company intends to prove its business model and is strong. Meanwhile, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet (owned by Google), and Baidu operate their own robo-taxis in several cities, giving the world a glimpse into the future of autonomy. However, these vehicles only operate in geofenced areas and may sometimes encounter traffic problems.
Baidu is betting big on robotic taxis. Baidu is superior in financial terms and benefits compared to Waymo and other competitors; While the technology continues to mature, the economics of the autonomous taxi business have not yet been fully proven; The Chinese company expects cost improvements to have a significant impact in this regard; However, we still don't know how Baidu's cost improvements will affect the autonomous taxi market; Reducing the initial cost of the vehicle can be an important step towards increasing the economic potential of robots. However, the question remains whether Baidu will be able to maintain the quality and efficiency of these vehicles without compromising security. Read more here:
10 things you need to know before buying an electric car in Brazil How do electric cars work? Complete Beginner's Guide Robotaxis Will Become More Common in Los Angeles The launch of the RT6 and its battery swapping capabilities demonstrate Baidu's determination to lead the robotaxi industry.
As more autonomous vehicles are put on the roads, it will be interesting to see how the market develops and how companies compete in terms of cost, performance and user experience.
The future of autonomous transportation is rapidly approaching and Baidu is at the forefront of this transformation.
Rimac is another potential threat to Baidu (Image: Reproduction/Rimac)