Leaders.com
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
  • Master Classes
  • Business
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Executives
    • Marketing and Sales
    • Social Media
    • Innovation
    • Women in Business
  • Leadership
    • Personal Growth
    • Company Culture
    • Public Speaking
    • Productivity
    • Hiring
    • Social Issues
    • Leaders
  • Wealth
    • Investing
    • Cryptocurrency
    • Retirement
    • Venture Capital
    • Loans and Borrowing
    • Taxes
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
  • Master Classes
  • Login
  • Subscribe
Innovation

A Baidu self-driving robotaxi (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

By Geoffrey Morris Leaders Staff

Geoffrey Morris

Geoffrey Morris

Senior Managing Editor

Geoffrey Morris is Senior Managing Editor, News, for Leaders Media. A career-long editor, he began as executive editor of National...

Full bio

  • LinkedIn

Learn about our editorial policy

Aug 8, 2022

New Advances in Driverless Vehicles

Baidu has received approval for its driverless vehicles to hit the road. 

In July, Baidu Inc., a Chinese-based company and the world’s largest robotaxi provider, announced that its newest fully autonomous vehicle, the Apollo RT6, will be released in 2023. The all-electric vehicle is designed for urban environments and will be part of Baidu’s ride-sharing service Apollo Go. 

The sixth-generation vehicle will cost $37,000, much less than current self-driving cars. Co-founder and CEO Robin Li hopes this vehicle will lower the cost of its taxi service and speed up autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment. 

Baidu recently received approval to release its driverless vehicles on the road in two Chinese cities—Wuhan and Chongqing. Before the approval, driverless taxis were required to have a human driver in the vehicle. Now, passengers may find themselves stepping into an empty vehicle that will drive them to their destination.

The driverless taxis will only be available during mandated hours and will be restricted to certain areas of the cities. Even with the limited reach, receiving this approval puts Baidu ahead of its competitors. The company says that it will work with other Chinese cities to receive similar approvals. 

Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, reached a similar agreement with San Francisco officials in June of this year. 

Cruise plans to launch 30 vehicles in the next few months. Before receiving approval, the vehicles were required to have a driver who could take over in case of emergency. The vehicles are now allowed to operate without a driver in certain areas of the city, provided they stay at certain speed limits. 

Other driverless-taxis such as Alphabet’s Waymo also operate in the U.S. with varying restrictions depending on the city. 

Opponents of self-driving vehicles cite safety concerns, arguing that the technology is not yet sufficient to handle certain situations.

Home / News / New Advances in Driverless Vehicles
Share
FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Related Stories

FTX Asks For Donations Back

by Savannah Young Leaders Staff
Cryptocurrency

4 hours ago

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was the Democrat Party’s second-largest donor and now the company is asking for donations back

Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX is sending requests, seeking the return of political donations.

Key Details

  • Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX Digital Markets Co-CEO Ryan Salame were major political donors during the last election. Now, the company is asking for the money back.
  • Bankman-Fried was the Democrat Party’s second-largest donor with $37 million in donations, while Salame was the Republican Party’s 10th-largest donor with around $19 million in donations.
  • FTX faced a very public bankruptcy filing and is now contacting "political figures, political action funds, and other recipients of contributions or other payments” to take back donations.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Washington’s Crypto Crackdown

by Savannah Young Leaders Staff
Cryptocurrency

4 hours ago

After continued downfalls in the cryptocurrency sector, policymakers in Washington, D.C., have turned hostile on crypto, and many fear an oncoming crypto crackdown

After continued downfalls in the cryptocurrency sector, policymakers in Washington, D.C., have turned hostile on crypto, and many fear an oncoming crypto crackdown.

Key Details

  • Cryptocurrencies are very volatile, and between the major falls of different coins last summer and the downfall of FTX, policymakers have turned hostile on crypto.
  • The White House has been declining many different businesses associated with cryptocurrencies suggesting that a crypto crackdown could soon be on the way.
  • The crypto-friendly bank Custodia was denied its request to join the Federal Bank after the company believed it would be accepted. The Fed also warned banks that they will need permission to do anything crypto-related.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

More EVs Qualify For Credit

by Hannah Bryan Leaders Staff
Public Policy

4 hours ago

EV tax

More crossover SUVs will qualify for the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit after an announcement from the Biden administration.

Key Details

  • General Motors and Stellantis officials have been lobbying for changes to the EV tax credit issued last year. 
  • While the tax credit was intended to incentivize EV purchases, many popular EV models were excluded from the legislation. 
  • This change came about by redefining what vehicles are considered sport-utility. 
  • The Inflation Reduction Act initially provided a tax credit to SUVs priced above $80,000. Passenger-car customers did not receive a credit if the vehicle cost less than $55,0000. 
  • The change is retroactive to January 1, allowing buyers who already made a purchase to claim the credit.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn
surveillance
Company Culture

5 hours ago

Employee Surveillance Hurts Employers

by Hannah Bryan Leaders Staff
Federal incentives are helping push people to buy electric vehicles (EVs) and boosting battery production in the U.S.
Business

6 hours ago

The U.S. Encourages EV Battery Production

by Savannah Young Leaders Staff
Wood
Markets

6 hours ago

More Predictions From Cathie Wood 

by Tyler Hummel Leaders Staff

Recent Articles

Entrepreneurs

13 hours ago

Here’s a Step by Step Guide on How to Start a Podcast

Eliminate confusion, create a podcast in 15 detailed steps

Wealth

Feb 3, 2023

The Most Landlord-Friendly States in 2023

Invest in landlord-friendly states to make more profits

Productivity

Feb 2, 2023

7 Tips to Stop Procrastinating and Eat the Frog for Enhanced Productivity

Get more done using this mental methodology

  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
Join the Leaders Community

Get exclusive tools and resources you need to grow as a leader and scale a purpose-driven business.

Subscribing indicates your consent to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Leaders.com
  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Careers
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Member Login

© 2023 Leaders.com - All rights reserved.

Search Leaders.com