Permits edge Beijing closer to full self-driving technological reality

Beijing granted the latest autonomous driving permits to two robotaxi operators -- Baidu Inc and Pony.ai With the permits issued by the head office of the Beijing High-Level Automated Driving Demonstration Area, the two companies will provide up to 10 autonomous vehicles each in a designated area of 60 square kilometers in Yizhuang, a southern suburb of Beijing. A human safety operator will now sit in back seats in such vehicles to ensure safety. In April, both Baidu and Pony.ai received permission to offer driverless robotaxi services on open roads in Beijing with no human safety operator behind the steering wheel. However, at the time a backup driver should be seated in the front passenger seat to take manual control in case of an emergency.