China Temporarily Halts New Autonomous Vehicle Permits

Chinese authorities have suspended the issuance of new permits for autonomous vehicles. This follows a large-scale incident last month in Wuhan where dozens of Baidu Robotaxi 'Luobo Kuaipao' vehicles malfunctioned.

On the night of the 31st of last month, multiple Luobo Kuaipao vehicles suddenly stopped operating across various locations in Wuhan, leading to situations where passengers were stranded inside the cars. Luobo Kuaipao was launched in 2021. Baidu's autonomous taxi service in Wuhan is currently suspended, and local authorities are investigating the incident.

Sources indicate that three ministries, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, held a meeting with officials from pilot autonomous taxi cities and ordered a comprehensive review and strengthened safety management. This action could impact the autonomous vehicle industry and related companies in China.