5. Didi Chuxing

A major Didi ambition is to launch fleets of driverless cars in a number of locations in China, in line with the Chinese government's vision of building a "comprehensive digital infrastructure network" based on high-tech innovations like deep learning, machine learning, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. In 2019, the company spun off its autonomous driving unit in a move designed to focus and designate more resources toward business development and product innovation. Didi established its autonomous driving team in 2016, when Uber sold its China business to the company, a notable exit by the U.S. ride-hailing giant from the region which exposed Didi to an international customer base. SoftBank played an influential role in that decision and has since led a $500 million fundraising round in Didi's autonomous driving division. Didi Labs has employed more than 500 people in China, as well as at its Mountain View, California research facility, where it has been working with various auto manufacturers like Volkswagen and Toyota Motors to test core innovative technologies.