Robotaxi Service Disrupted in Wuhan

A “system failure” led to an outage impacting multiple robotaxis operated by Baidu’s Apollo Go service in Wuhan, China, according to local police reports released on Wednesday. This incident has reignited discussions surrounding the safety of the rapidly expanding robotaxi industry.

Incident Details and Passenger Safety

Police began receiving reports late Tuesday that a significant number of Apollo Go vehicles had come to a standstill in roadways and were unable to proceed. Authorities confirmed that all passengers were able to safely exit the vehicles, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the system failure is currently under investigation.

Scale of the Outage

A traffic police officer, in a video published by The Paper, stated that at least 100 Apollo Go vehicles were affected by the outage. While vehicle doors were functional, some passengers were initially hesitant to exit due to heavy traffic conditions and requested police assistance.

Verified Reports and Social Media Reaction

Videos circulating on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and verified by Reuters, showed stalled robotaxis obstructing traffic on busy roads. Local media outlets reported that some passengers were stuck inside the vehicles for approximately two hours.

Previous Incidents and Industry Context

This incident follows other safety concerns related to robotaxi services in China. In August, an Apollo Go robotaxi with a passenger fell into a construction pit in Chongqing. In May, a vehicle operated by Pony.ai caught fire in Beijing. No injuries were reported in either of those events.

A similar incident occurred in San Francisco last year, where a power outage caused Waymo robotaxis to stall and disrupt traffic.

Leading Autonomous Driving Companies

Baidu is a major player in China’s autonomous driving sector, alongside companies like Pony.ai and WeRide. These companies are expanding commercial robotaxi services across major Chinese cities and are also venturing into international markets, including the Middle East.

Baidu's Response

Baidu has not yet issued an official comment regarding the Wuhan outage.