FIAT Chrysler to Deploy Self-Driving RoboTaxi in China
Most likely self-driving vehicles will gain a hold in Asia before they become commonplace in America. For whatever reason, it just seems that there is more robust testing going on in places like China and Japan than in the states. One of America’s largest automakers is looking to keep pace globally and are deploying self-driving taxis to some of China’s busiest cities
Fiat Chrysler is teaming with Chinese startup AutoX to offer the RoboTaxi service to the general public. The plan is to start the pilot programs in major cities such as Shenzhen and Shanghai in the first half of 2020 and then expand to other metropolises in the country.
RoboTaxi Chrysler Pacifica Made for China’s Traffic
Chrysler Pacificas will be outfitted with self-driving hardware and software. They’ll feature a new flat rooftop design, an array of sensors including solid-state LiDar, radars, cameras, GPS, IMU, and also the AutoX XCU. The XCU is the first Level-4 compute platform made specifically for China’s high traffic and often chaotic urban driving environments. This means faster processing speed and higher computation capability.
“AutoX positions ourselves as an enabler for automakers. The AutoX AI Driver is the most experienced driver for the unique traffic situations in China. With tons of real-world data we have collected in the past few years, the AutoX Driver has adopted local driving styles in China to navigate in complex and dynamic urban conditions. We are proud to start deploying our technology together with a global OEM like FCA who sees and wants to grab the greatest opportunity of the industry — the mobility transformation in China,” said AutoX CEO Jianxiong Xiao.
AutoX, which was founded in 2016, has been testing its autonomous vehicles in Shenzhen for the past two years gaining valuable data and experience navigating the dense city. In 2019, they announced a partnership with the city of Shanghai to deploy 100 RoboTaxis to the general public.
Check out our articles on Eastern India’s first robot restaurant and UPS self-driving trucks in Arizona.