Jidu Auto, an electric vehicle (EV) company owned by Baidu, will have autonomous driving technology that is one generation ahead of Tesla (TSLA.O), according to a statement released by Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, the company’s chief executive, on Monday.
“Our understanding of smart vehicles is that being electric is the semi-final while being intelligent is the final,” Li added.
Jidu’s chief executive Joe Xia Yiping stated in the statement that the company hopes to be able to produce 800,000 of its “robot” cars by the year 2028. Jidu also plans to deliver its second model for mass production in 2024, Xia said.
Jidu unveiled its first “robot” concept automobile in June, intending to mass-produce the model in 2023. The vehicle has no door handles and is entirely voice-activated.
Jidu’s “robot” cars will be outfitted with two lidars and 12 cameras in addition to autonomous driving software provided by Baidu. Lidars are radar-like detecting devices but instead of using radio waves, they employ pulsed laser light.
Read more on:Robotic Claws Made from Dead Spider Legs are Released by Researchers
Lidar filters are not used by Tesla.
In response to Tesla’s success in commercializing EVs, tech companies around the world are vying to develop smart cars. Baidu is one of these companies.
Other Chinese technology behemoths with auto manufacturing aspirations include Didi Global and smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi Corp.
