A fleet of Baidu self-driving buses are not far off from appearing on actual roads as the Chinese multinational tech company aims to have its vehicles hitting Japan by early 2019. This statement was recently made at the annual Baidu developers conference, in which information regarding ramped up manufacturing was announced. The launch of Baidu self-driving buses in Japan will be done in partnership with SB Drive, an autonomous public-transportation subsidiary of Softbank.
To build these autonomous busses, Baidu will be working with Chinese bus-maker King Long, which has already produced 100 of these vehicles. The busses are being referred to as Apolong and are capable of transporting 14 passengers. The busses come equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, which means they do not require any human interaction within a specific geographic area.
Mass-Produced Autonomous Busses
A Fleet of Baidu Self-Driving Buses Will Launch in Japan in 2019
Trend Themes
1. Mass-produced Autonomous Busses - Opportunity for other tech companies to collaborate with bus manufacturers and develop their own fleet of autonomous buses.
2. Baidu Self-driving Buses in Japan - Opportunity for local transportation companies in Japan to partner with Baidu and offer autonomous bus services, providing a unique and innovative transportation solution.
3. Ramped Up Manufacturing for Autonomous Busses - Opportunity for manufacturers to increase production of autonomous buses and meet the growing demand for self-driving public transportation.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity for automotive manufacturers to incorporate autonomous technology into their existing bus models or develop new autonomous bus models.
2. Transportation Services - Opportunity for transportation service providers to leverage autonomous bus technology and offer efficient and convenient public transportation solutions.
3. Artificial Intelligence - Opportunity for AI companies to collaborate with bus manufacturers and develop advanced self-driving systems for autonomous buses, enhancing their performance and safety.