Didi Global Inc (滴滴) yesterday rolled out an autonomous vehicle and self-driving taxi services, outlining its first big business foray since becoming a central target of Beijing’s sweeping campaign to rein in powerful tech players.
The company showcased a self-driving concept vehicle called the Didi Neuron during a sleek press event, without saying when it would be available.
The firm’s level-four self-driving technology, a standard just shy of complete autonomy, is at a stage where it can be “fully self-reliant and controllable,” Didi chief technology officer Zhang Bo (張博) said.
Photo: REUTERS
Didi’s self-driving taxi services are already available in specific areas of Shanghai and Guangzhou, Zhang said.
“We have already made the long-term preparations for our autonomous driving development efforts, both mentally and in terms of our resources,” said Zhang, who also heads Didi’s autonomous driving business.
The Neuron was described as 4.5m long with three screens in the front and two in the back, and sporting eight cameras.
Meng Xing (孟醒), chief operating officer of Didi’s autonomous driving unit, demonstrated how its trunk comes with a robotic arm that swivels out and helps load luggage.
The announcement signals that Didi is preparing to tiptoe back into the public spotlight following the restoration of its main apps to the country’s biggest mobile stores in January.
It is the highest-profile indication that the company has begun mounting a comeback from a year-long security probe after Beijing ordered Didi to delist in the US and erased US$60 billion from its market value.
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