Baidu has announced a notable deceleration in the growth of its Apollo Go robotaxi service, with the number of public rides increasing by just 26% year-on-year in the first half of the year. This marks a sharp decline from the 184% growth reported during the same period in 2023. The company averaged 287,500 robotaxi rides per month, up from 229,000 in early 2023.
Despite the slower growth, Baidu’s robotaxi service still outpaces traditional ride-hailing services in terms of growth rate, though it remains on a much smaller scale. Baidu’s Apollo Go has cumulatively provided 7 million rides as of late July, a rise from 6 million in April.
In Wuhan, Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis now operate fully autonomously in nearly all areas, significantly reducing costs. However, only about 1% of the ride-hailing market in Wuhan is captured by Apollo Go, reflecting the gradual scaling process anticipated by the company.
Baidu’s robotaxi fleet in Wuhan consists of approximately 400 vehicles, with plans to expand to 1,000 by year-end. Despite recent milestones, Baidu acknowledges that its market share remains minimal compared to major ride-hailing platforms like Didi, which reported an 8.7% rise in gross transaction value in the last quarter. Baidu’s Li emphasized that achieving a substantial market share will take many years.
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