Beijing is starting to allow test drives of self-driving cars with passengers, and Baidu just became the first company to get the permit. 40 Baidu self-driving cars, which have completed more than 100,000 kilometers of road tests, can now carry passengers in a designated area.
Earlier in September, the company rolled out its robotaxi services in Changsha, allowing the general public to participate. But in Beijing, passenger tests for its self-driving fleet are limited to professional test crews, according to Baidu.
The passenger tests are allowed to be conducted within a testing area of 40 square kilometers in the suburban Yizhuang area, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, covering most roads in the area except those near schools, hospitals and office buildings.