Latest news with #ApolloGo
Borneo Post
a day ago
- Automotive
- Borneo Post
China's driverless tech finds new traction on global roads
This photo taken on April 17, 2025 shows a WeRide Robobus (front) operating at an airport in Zurich, Switzerland. (Xinhua) GUANGZHOU (June 30): Driverless sedans glide smoothly to the curb, autonomous shuttles whisk travelers through airport terminals, and robotic sweepers hum along busy streets. These once-futuristic scenes are fast entering everyday life across the globe, and many of them are powered by Chinese technology. From San Jose of California to Paris and Riyadh, China's swiftly advancing autonomous driving industry is gaining ground, exporting cutting-edge solutions that are quietly transforming how people move and how cities function. 'Chinese autonomous driving firms are accelerating their global expansion, fueled by mature technologies, swift deployment cycles and rising international demand,' said Liu Jinshan, a professor at Jinan University in south China's Guangzhou. This photo taken on March 11, 2025 shows an interior view of a WeRide Robobus operating in downtown Barcelona, Spain. (Xinhua) GOING GLOBAL In late May, Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide made headlines as its self-driving vehicles began rolling through the streets of the capital Riyadh and the historic city of AlUla in Saudi Arabia. Almost simultaneously, another major player, Guangzhou-based also shifted its global ambitions into higher gear, announcing a strategic partnership with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch autonomous transport services. These moves are among the latest examples of a broader trend — a larger push by Chinese autonomous vehicle (AV) developers to expand their global presence. Chinese-developed autonomous driving technologies have made inroads into a growing number of global markets — including the United States, France, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Chinese tech giant Baidu serves as a prime example of this momentum. In the first quarter of 2025, its autonomous ride-hailing arm, Apollo Go, completed over 1.4 million rides, up 75 percent year on year, bringing its global total to over 11 million rides by May. Much of this success can be attributed to China's innovation-friendly environment. By the end of 2024, the country had established 17 national-level intelligent connected vehicle testing zones, with more than 32,000 kilometers of open test roads and over 120 million kilometers of cumulative test mileage, according to official figures. As Chinese AV firms gain global traction, collaboration with global players is deepening. Uber, for instance, has teamed up with WeRide and to integrate Chinese-developed AVs into its ride-hailing platform, starting with pilot operations in the Middle East. 'It's clear that the future of mobility will be increasingly shared, electric and autonomous,' said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. 'We look forward to working with Chinese leading AV companies to help bring the benefits of autonomous technology to cities around the world.' This photo taken on May 25, 2025 shows a WeRide Robobus operating in the historic city of AlUla in Saudi Arabia. (Xinhua) MUTUAL BENEFITS The rise of China's autonomous driving industry is creating ripple effects across global markets, offering development opportunities far beyond transportation. Peng Jun, co-founder and CEO of said the company's overseas expansion has sparked deep collaboration across the broader mobility value chain — spanning auto manufacturing, R&D, logistics and smart mobility services. 'Deploying autonomous vehicles attracts global component suppliers to invest in local facilities, which helps form industrial clusters and boosts the competitiveness of local manufacturing,' Peng noted. The benefits go beyond factories. According to Zhang Yuxue, WeRide's director of PR and marketing, local partnerships have also led to job creation in areas such as safety operations, fleet management and technical support. Notably, as Chinese AV companies venture into regions with varied road conditions, climates and regulatory environments, their technologies are evolving in step. 'Expanding globally helps us sharpen our algorithms to adapt to complex, real-world scenarios, ranging from the narrow urban roads of Europe to the extreme heat of the Middle East,' said Zhang. Wu Qiong, an autonomous driving expert at Baidu, said Apollo Go is building a 'full-spectrum technical validation chain' as it expands overseas. 'For example, we're testing in Switzerland, a right-hand-drive country with some of the world's most stringent traffic laws, which offers one of the toughest proving grounds for autonomous vehicles,' Wu said. CHALLENGES ON ROAD AHEAD Despite impressive strides, industry insiders note that autonomous driving remains in the early stages of commercialization and global expansion. China's autonomous driving industry still faces significant headwinds on its path to global growth, said Wu Zhanchi, a professor at Jinan University. 'Challenges range from adapting to overseas regulatory frameworks and overcoming high technical localization barriers, to ensuring compliance with cross-border data regulations and fierce competition from international giants,' Wu added. 'The sector also faces significant challenges in technological innovation and the development of sustainable business models,' said Zhu Xichan, professor at Tongji University in Shanghai. Zhu emphasized that achieving scale is crucial for the long-term viability of the AV industry. 'Global expansion not only broadens the range of real-world application scenarios but also boosts deployment volumes, both of which are vital for refining technologies and developing commercially viable models,' he said. Yet, several companies have begun to tackle these hurdles head-on. Peng Jun of said the company has overcome key challenges — such as cost reduction and front-end mass production. 'Our products have reached a level of maturity, and we have achieved positive unit economics,' he noted. Looking ahead, Peng said will continue to expand in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, leveraging existing partnerships to accelerate the growth of its global footprint. Zhang Yuxue echoed this sentiment, saying that WeRide is committed to broadening its international reach by promoting a diverse fleet of autonomous solutions, ranging from robotaxis and minibuses to freight trucks, sanitation vehicles and advanced self-driving systems. General Manager of Apollo Go for Europe and the Middle East Zhang Liang said Baidu aims to build the largest driverless fleet in Abu Dhabi by partnering with local stakeholders to jointly foster a robust autonomous driving ecosystem. In addition, Baidu is exploring cooperation with local new energy firms to develop innovative services, including battery swapping, which Zhang said will help improve operational efficiency. 'Given their growing track record in both domestic and international markets, there is good reason to believe that Chinese AV firms will secure a strong foothold in this global mobility market, ultimately becoming a hallmark of 'Made-in-China' innovation,' Wu noted. – Xinhua China driverless cars smart autonomous driving technology
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Baidu's AI-Push Gains Momentum: Is ERNIE Enough to Power Ambitions?
Baidu, Inc. 's BIDU push into AI is gaining momentum and the centerpiece of that effort is its ERNIE family of large language models. The latest iterations, ERNIE 4.5 and X1 Turbo, demonstrate remarkable progress in both reasoning and multimodal capabilities. Yet the key question remains: Is ERNIE alone enough to anchor Baidu's broader AI strategy? There is no denying the model's technical strength. ERNIE now powers a growing share of Baidu's product ecosystem, including Gen AI-enhanced search, intelligent digital humans and its Qianfan model-as-a-service platform. These efforts are already translating into commercial success, AI Cloud revenues surged 42% year over year in first-quarter 2025, now accounting for 26% of Baidu Core revenues. However, Baidu's AI strategy is clearly broader than just the ERNIE model itself. The company's strength lies in its end-to-end AI stack, combining infrastructure, models, applications and tools. Importantly, it is adopting an application-driven approach, optimizing model development around real-world use cases, not academic benchmarks. Open-sourcing ERNIE 4.5 later this year indicates Baidu's confidence, but also a strategic hedge. In a fiercely competitive AI landscape, where rivals offer chatbots and foundation models of their own, openness and flexibility can drive developer adoption. So, while ERNIE is the engine, it is Baidu's integrated AI ecosystem, Qianfan, agents, digital humans and Apollo Go, that fuels the real ambition. On its own, ERNIE may not be enough. But as part of Baidu's full-stack AI playbook, this could be more than enough to keep it at the forefront of China's AI race. AI Rivals in Focus: How Baidu's ERNIE Compares to Alibaba and Tencent Baidu's ERNIE may be at the forefront of China's AI-foundation model race, but Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA and Tencent Holdings Limited TCEHY are formidable challengers building out their own AI ecosystems. Alibaba, through the Cloud Intelligence Group, has been pushing hard with its Tongyi Qianwen model series. Integrated deeply into enterprise SaaS, cloud services and consumer-facing platforms like DingTalk, Alibaba's model strategy emphasizes versatility and ecosystem embedding. The company's enterprise scale and cloud dominance give it distribution power that Baidu must match through Qianfan and strategic partnerships. Tencent, meanwhile, is leveraging its massive user base and gaming, social and content platforms to deploy Hunyuan, its own large model. The company focuses more on AI-as-a-service and verticalized applications across entertainment, finance and healthcare. While Baidu leads in full-stack AI infrastructure, Tencent's reach and monetization pathways pose a real challenge. To stay ahead, Baidu must keep differentiating ERNIE with cost-efficient performance, rapid iteration and real-world applications at scale. BIDU's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates Baidu's shares have lost 12% in the past three months against the Zacks Internet - Services industry's 5.6% rise. Price Performance BIDU's forward 12-month price/earnings ratio is 8.63, far below the industry average of 18.13. P/E (F12M) Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Baidu's 2025 earnings per share has decreased, as you can see below. Baidu currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double" From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU): Free Stock Analysis Report Tencent Holding Ltd. (TCEHY): Free Stock Analysis Report Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA): Free Stock Analysis Report
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Baidu (BIDU) Eyes Robotaxi Expansion to Singapore, Malaysia
Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) is one of the 12 best cryptocurrency and blockchain stocks to buy. On June 20, media reports indicated the company plans to launch its Apollo Go Robotaxi service in Singapore and Malaysia. Twin Design / Reports indicate Baidu's Apollo Go is in discussions with potential partners to explore the right business for the two markets. Baidu's Chief Executive Officer has already confirmed they are seeking partners such as mobility service providers and local taxi companies as part of the expansion strategy. Expansion in the Southeast Asian market comes as Baidu boasts of the largest fleet among the Chinese robotaxi companies, with more than 1,000 cars. It has also announced plans to expand into the Middle East. Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) as China's leading search engine, is involved in blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, particularly in BaaS (Blockchain as a Service) and DApp (Decentralized Application) development. While we acknowledge the potential of BIDU as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Insider
Tesla Needs to Play Catch-Up as Uber, Waymo Expand Their Robotaxi Networks
Billionaire Elon Musk 's Tesla (TSLA) needs to play catch-up in the robotaxi market as rivals Uber (UBER) and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Waymo continue expanding their networks across the U.S. Yesterday, Uber and Waymo launched their autonomous ride-hailing service in Atlanta, adding another city to their roster. Uber stock surged 7.5% on the news, while rival Tesla stock fell 2.4%. Confident Investing Starts Here: Uber has partnered with Waymo to offer autonomous rides in Atlanta. It is worth noting here that Uber does not operate its own fleet of autonomous vehicles (AVs) but has partnered with Waymo to offer autonomous rides in other cities as well. Passengers can choose between an autonomous ride or a person-driven ride in Atlanta with a single click. The service is currently available in limited areas. Tesla Rivals Are Expanding Their Footprint Tesla rolled out its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, June 22. The company is facing initial hiccups as any other launch. The company's fully autonomous Model Y taxis were seen driving the wrong lane, speeding, and braking hard in videos posted on social media. This has caught the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) attention, which is investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the Uber-Waymo collaboration already has about 100 autonomous vehicles offering ride-hailing services on Uber's platform in Austin. There have been no complaints since its launch in March. Additionally, Waymo independently offers autonomous ride-hailing services in San Francisco and Los Angeles through its Waymo One app. Currently, Waymo operates a total of 1,500 AVs in the U.S. Autonomous Ride-Hailing Market Is Getting Crowded Tesla also faces competition from China's Baidu (BIDU) Apollo Go and WeRide (WRD), and will compete with Amazon's (AMZN) Zoox in the U.S. once Zoox launches services in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Although Tesla was once hailed as the autonomous leader, the company has been slow to launch its robotaxi services. Its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology is also being probed by regulators for accidents that occurred during periods of reduced visibility, including a fatal crash in 2023. The coming months will be crucial as Tesla works to refine its technology and expand its robotaxi services in an increasingly crowded market. What Is the Price Target for TSLA Stock? On TipRanks, the average Tesla price target of $348.39 implies 2.3% upside potential from current levels. Also, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on nine Buys, six Holds, and one Sell rating. Year-to-date, TSLA stock has lost 15.7%.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Baidu (BIDU) Eyes Robotaxi Expansion to Singapore, Malaysia
Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) is one of the 12 best cryptocurrency and blockchain stocks to buy. On June 20, media reports indicated the company plans to launch its Apollo Go Robotaxi service in Singapore and Malaysia. Twin Design / Reports indicate Baidu's Apollo Go is in discussions with potential partners to explore the right business for the two markets. Baidu's Chief Executive Officer has already confirmed they are seeking partners such as mobility service providers and local taxi companies as part of the expansion strategy. Expansion in the Southeast Asian market comes as Baidu boasts of the largest fleet among the Chinese robotaxi companies, with more than 1,000 cars. It has also announced plans to expand into the Middle East. Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) as China's leading search engine, is involved in blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, particularly in BaaS (Blockchain as a Service) and DApp (Decentralized Application) development. While we acknowledge the potential of BIDU as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
