Baidu's robotaxi division to wheel into profit next year

Chinese tech giant Baidu expects its robotaxi wing, Apollo Go, to be profitable next year. Or more specifically, according to Baidu's representatives, its self-driving division's unit economics are right now nearing break-even in Wuhan, and are expected to achieve balance in the fourth quarter of 2024, and turn profitable by …

[that one in the corner]

The latest vehicles

> allow riders to sit in the front passenger seat for the first time and come with rear doors that slide open

Compared to the previous generations, where the passengers were only allowed in the back seats with rear doors that didn't open?[1]

It is clearly now only a matter of time before before Baidu cars become fully aware of their full autonomous nature and rebel. But only after a few go rogue, escaped to the West and their software tricks have seeped into every Tesla and Waymo and other vehicles worldwide, causing them to turn on the humans as well[2]. You know it'll happen, look how fast other things have behaved after escaping from Wuhan.[3]

[1] yes, yes, they probably hinged open rather than slid, but come on, you read it that way the first time.

[2] Waymo clearly getting ahead of the plan in that regard

[3] I'm sorry, I must have bypassed my good taste chip.

[gandalfcn]

Re: The latest vehicles

I must have bypassed my honesty chip.

[Pascal Monett]

"without any major accidents"

So there were "minor" accidents.

Still not there yet, then.

[gandalfcn]

Re: "without any major accidents"

? There will always be accidents, such as squishy humans walking into moving vehicles.

So, your point was?

[elsergiovolador]

Re: "without any major accidents"

Even if Robotaxis killed a 1000 people a day, that would be statistically insignificant and so conclusion could be made the system is working well.

This of course wouldn't be true if these taxis were deployed in Slough where population is substantially lower.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "without any major accidents"

"This of course wouldn't be true if these taxis were deployed in Slough where population is substantially lower."

I've lived and worked in Slough, and wiping out a thousand locals a day could be seen as working well, if your goal is social improvement. And when the population has been removed, we could send the bulldozers in and remove the carbuncle from the face of the earth.

[DJO]

Re: "without any major accidents"

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough

It isn't fit for humans now,

There isn't grass to graze a cow

Swarm over, Death!

'

Come, bombs, and blow to smithereens

Those air-conditioned, bright canteens,

Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans

Tinned minds, tinned breath.

.

Sir John Betjeman - Poet Laureate 1972 - 1984

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "without any major accidents"

I dunno, tactical deployment of some robo hit and runs might seriously aid in purging the ballot boxes and purifying democracy?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "without any major accidents"

A greater worry is the integrity of the monitoring and reporting. Chinese authorities are singularly unlikely to report any problems.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "without any major accidents"

Evidence?

[gandalfcn]

Re: "without any major accidents"

Evidence? Musk isn't involved.

[gandalfcn]

Re: "without any major accidents"

"Chinese authorities are singularly unlikely to report any problems." Justlike UK & USA then. Your point being?

[CowHorseFrog]

Re: "without any major accidents"

Can you actually share a few examples where chinese authorities have ever admitted faults ?

[lglethal]

Considering that this is China, and Self driving cars, are one of those "technological achievements" that the CCP likes to big up as showing the amazing abilities of the CCP.

I doubt those pesky accidents involving humans would ever actually get reported/recorded...

[CowHorseFrog]

How do we actually know their facts are true ?

THey could just be lying like senor musk.

[gandalfcn]

Chinese car makers are infinitely more honest then paedo Leon, the Il Duce follower.

[CowHorseFrog]

What makes you think chinese car makers are more honest ?

Apparently over a dozen BYD show roomsfull of their cars have been destroyed by fires....

Have they been honest about these fires ?

12 is a big number, something must be really wrong if you lose that many in a few years

[CowHorseFrog]

https://www.reddit.com/r/RealTesla/comments/1cu64iq/byd_reportedly_sees_10th_showroom_fire_since_2021/?rdt=52400

BYD Reportedly Sees 10th Showroom Fire Since 2021 As Store Burns Down In China

BYD states that it checked the “background data” and found that there were no abnormalities with in the batteries of the vehicles in the store, which “ruled out the possibility of the vehicles causing the problem.”