Baidu's New Robotaxi With Detachable Steering Wheel Will be 48% Cheaper than the Previous Model

Baidu, a popular automaker in China, has adjusted the prices for its new robotaxis.

According to the latest report, the tech giant has recently unveiled Apollo RT6, which will come at 250,00- Yuan or about $37,313. That's way cheaper compared to the previous self-driving car model.

Baidu Drops Robotaxi Prices Anew

The auto industry is currently thriving with self-driving EVs, especially since many people prefer to go all-electric on the street nowadays.

Although they are more nature-friendly compared to traditional vehicles, they might not come cheap for every buyer.

In China, Baidu decided to slash the prices for its robotaxis this year by nearly half. This means that more people could now purchase self-driving cars this time.

According to CNBC, the company revealed Apollo RT6, the newest robotaxi on the lineup. For its production, the company only spends about $37,313, so it's very cheap. Baidu says that there's no third-party manufacturer involved here.

When its predecessor Apollo Moon came out last year, Baidu said its manufacturing cost reached 480,000 Yuan. It has collaborated with BAIC Group to make this happen.

The report also says that Apollo RT6 is 48% cheaper than the previous model when it comes to production cost.

Speaking of which, the new robotaxi is expected to debut in the second half of 2023. It will be first rolled out in China before arriving in the other countries.

What's more, is that this self-driving electric car offers two options for the driver. You could go with a steering wheel or without it.

Regarding its design, it appears that it has a resemblance to what Ford and General Motors shared about their autonomous cars.

Baidu Wants Expansion For Robotaxi Operations

For its initial release, Baidu aims to manufacture 100,000 units of Apollo RT6 cars. The expected finished date of the launch remains uncertain at the moment.

"This massive cost reduction will enable us to deploy tens of thousands of [autonomous driving vehicles] across China. We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today," Baidu CEO Robin Li said in a statement.

Baidu's robotaxi business Apollo Go is currently operating in 10 Chinese cities. By 2025, the tech titan wants to expand to up to 65 cities.

Additionally, the company even plans to exceed it in the next five years by operating in 100 cities in 2030.

As of press time, WeRide and Pony.ai are currently exploring the robotaxi business in the country, according to Baidu.

Baidu Apollo RT6 Must-See Specs

In another story from BBC, the newest driverless robotaxi vehicle Apollo RT6 has 38 sensors on top of the following specs.

• 12 ultrasonic sensors
• 12 cameras
• one (1) 6mm-wave radar
• eight (8) light-detection and ranging Lidar sensors

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry