Baidu, a Chinese tech giant, recently unveiled their all-new all-electric, self-driving app-hailed cab, costing roughly $37,000 to manufacture.
The Apollo RT6s 38 sensors mean that it has the driving capabilities of a driver with two decades of experience. The manufacturers hope that the unveiling makes it possible for fully autonomous vehicle operations by 2023, eventually expanding to a fleet of a hundred thousand.
All-Electric Self-Driving Cab: The Future of Transportation
This picture was taken on July 20, 2022, and shows Baidu's Apollo RT6 next-generation autonomous vehicle during its unveiling in Beijing. - The Apollo RT6 is designed for fully autonomous driving with the detachable steering wheel and is set to join the Apollo Go ride-hailing service starting in 2023.
The Apollo RT6 was unveiled with unique features such as a detachable steering wheel allowing passengers to gain more space for cargo or game consoles. Additionally, the self-driving cab can also be hailed via an app.
According to Baidu, this is the company's first autonomous vehicle that does not require any retrofitting technology to a conventional car. A senior corporate vice president from the tech giant claims that the AV has a driving capability equal to a skilled driver with two decades of experience.
Baidu hopes that the all-electric cabs will be operational in China in the second half of 2023 as a part of its autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, reports DailyMail.
At Baidu World 2022, a tech conference, Robin Li, the co-founder and CEO of the tech giant, says that the massive cost reduction in production enables the company to deploy tens of thousands of AVs across the country. He adds that they are removing towards a future where robotaxi will cost half of the costs of today's taxis, reports ElectrekCo.
Apollo RT6: New Generation of Fully Automated RoboTaxis
The Apollo RT6 is the company's sixth generation AV costing significantly less to develop than previous models.
In comparison, the Apollo Moon launched by Baidu, its fifth generation UV in June 2021, costs roughly $71,000 for the vehicle and the driverless kit.
The all-electric RT6 has a seating capacity of two to four passengers depending on the engagement of the steering wheel. The detachable steering wheel allows the installation of luggage racks, game consoles, and desktops within its 15.6 feet by 6.1 feet total floor space, reports Reuters.
According to the company, the AV's 9.3-foot wheelbase makes it an A-class car with the space of a B-class vehicle and the experience of a C-class car. The Apollo RT6 is a cross between a minivan and SUV, offering 41 inches of legroom for the two seats in the rear of the vehicle, atop a flat floor. It comes with a futuristic exterior with an intelligent electric sliding door, accessible via Bluetooth connection, password input, or phone app.
When driving, the RT6 utilizes 38 sensors, including eight light-detection and ranging sensors, 12 ultrasonic radars, and 12 six-millimeter-wave camera radars. These together help the vehicle achieve more than 656 feet of accurate long-distance perception from all sides, even in complex urban environments.
More and more autonomous vehicles are gaining the limelight. They have intelligent prediction capabilities ensuring the safety of the passengers and those around them as it drives. However, there is no certainty when robotic transportation will become a mainstay in public transportation; it's no surprise that tech giants will continue to develop cost-efficient futuristic AVs.
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