A driverless ride-hailing car operated by Baidu in China recently struck a pedestrian, and social media users are largely siding with the carmaker, as the pedestrian was reportedly crossing against the light.
Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, stated to local media that the car started moving when the light turned green and had only minor contact with the pedestrian. The person was taken to a hospital where an examination revealed no apparent external injuries, according to Baidu.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday in Wuhan, underscores the challenges that autonomous driving technology faces in complex scenarios. The Chinese financial news outlet Yicai cited an expert who noted that the technology may struggle when encountering unconventional behavior, such as other vehicles or pedestrians breaking traffic laws.
Images posted online show a person sitting on the street in front of the driverless car, which is equipped with rooftop sensors. According to the English-language Shanghai Daily newspaper’s post on X, social media comments largely defended Baidu, highlighting that the pedestrian was at fault for violating traffic laws.
Baidu, a Beijing-based search engine and AI company, is a leading developer of autonomous driving technology in China. Its largest “robotaxi” operation, consisting of 300 cars, is located in Wuhan, a major city in central China.
The ride-hailing service, known as Apollo Go, also operates in limited areas of Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chongqing. In May, the company launched the sixth generation of its driverless taxi, claiming to have reduced the unit cost by more than half to under $30,000.
“In Wuhan, we have 6,000 driverless rides per day, which collectively represents a significant achievement,” said Helen K Pan, general manager and board member of Baidu Apollo, California.
