The Xpeng G9 has recently caught the attention of many onlookers at a mall in Beijing. During a press event, Xpeng Vice Chairman and Co-President Brian Gu stated that self-driving taxis are not expected to become a significant business for at least the next five years. This prediction goes against Elon Musk’s vision of Tesla developing artificial intelligence software for a robotaxi network.
Despite this, Gu believes that the idea of robotaxis is promising for the future of mobility. However, he noted that establishing a full-fledged commercial operation will take more time than anticipated. Currently, Xpeng has no plans to launch this service. Instead, the company remains focused on its electric cars and positioning itself as a leader in driver-assist technology in the market.
Gu emphasized the importance of extensive testing before implementing any autonomous driving services. He pointed out that other Chinese tech companies like Baidu and Pony.ai have received approval in certain areas of China to operate fully driverless taxis and charge fares. These locations include Beijing and Wuhan, which are seen as hubs for testing new technologies in the autonomous driving sector.
Overall, while there may be some challenges ahead, Gu believes that self-driving taxis have great potential to revolutionize transportation in China and beyond. As such, he encouraged other companies to continue investing in this technology and working towards making it safer and more accessible for everyone.
