Baidu’s autonomous driving unit Apollo and leading car rental company CAR Inc. have officially launched the world’s first autonomous car rental service for the general public. The service went live on Tuesday in Wuhan, China, following the announcement of the partnership between the two companies in May.
The new service allows users to rent fully driverless vehicles without any human assistance. It runs on Baidu Apollo’s Level 4 autonomous driving platform and integrates with CAR Inc.’s national rental network. This marks the first time in China that a car rental service combines fully autonomous driving with a self-service rental process.
Users can access the service through the CAR Inc. mobile app. The booking process includes selecting a time and pickup location. The system then dispatches the nearest available autonomous vehicle. After ID verification, the vehicle drives itself to the pickup spot and unlocks automatically. Once the ride is complete, the car navigates on its own to the drop-off location.
The current fleet features custom-built Apollo vehicles that seat up to three passengers. The vehicles use Baidu’s driverless technology and are designed for short to mid-term rentals. The service supports bookings from four hours up to seven days and follows CAR Inc.’s existing pricing structure.
During the rental period, users can set their own routes within the designated operational area. The service targets a wide range of use cases, including daily commuting, weekend travel, and tourism.
Baidu and CAR Inc. said the service aims to support users who may not drive, such as elderly individuals, tourists, and people with disabilities. The companies plan to expand the service to more regions in China as part of a broader strategy to modernize the country’s car rental industry. Analysts expect the Chinese rental market to surpass 300 billion yuan (approximately $41 billion) by 2030.
As autonomous technology continues to mature and regulatory frameworks adapt, this pioneering service is set to transform the way people perceive and utilize personal transportation, potentially ushering in an era where vehicle ownership becomes less of a necessity and mobility-as-a-service becomes the norm.
In related news, the Lucid Air Grand Touring has set a new world record with a 1,205 km range on a single charge. Meanwhile, Geely has launched the Galaxy A7 hybrid sedan, boasting a fuel efficiency of 2.67L/100km, a total range of 2,100 km, and 21 aerodynamic enhancements.
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