Baidu is working on launching its Apollo Go robotaxi service in Singapore and Malaysia by end-2025, with sources close to the matter telling Singapore’s The Independent that the Chinese tech giant is in talks with local taxi operators and mobility service providers to tailor a business model for both nations.
The company is adopting what it calls an “asset-light” strategy – prioritising partnerships over direct fleet ownership. Since its China launch in 2019, Apollo Go has clocked more than 11 million rides (beating Google Waymo‘s 10 million) in over 1,000 autonomous vehicles. Tesla just last month launched its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, using 10 Model Ys.
Baidu is also looking at Europe and the Middle East for its driverless taxis; it’s reportedly talking with Swiss Post subsidiary PostAuto to launch Apollo Go in Switzerland, and exploring a Turkish entry.
Malaysia’s autonomous vehicle trials have largely been confined to areas such as Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Bukit Jalil Technology Park, beginning in the early-2020s, but developments have since been scarce. Last year, transport minister Anthony Loke said that the government is considering amending laws to support the digitalisation and development of autonomous vehicles.
“We need to take steps to see the future because maybe now it is not yet mainstream. But maybe in 10, 20 years, most of our public transportation systems will no longer use humans as drivers. They can be autonomous. Now, most of them still need drivers,” he said in September.
Well, if Apollo Go really does launch this year and takes off, we won’t have to wait 10, 20 years. While the days of grumpy taxi drivers haggling fares, refusing to go to certain places and not stopping despite you waving your arms about like a madman are few and far between today, the livelihoods of our long-serving taxi and e-hailing drivers are something to think about.
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Since its China launch in 2020, Apollo Go has clocked more than 11 million rides (beating Google Waymo’s 10 million) in over 1,000 autonomous vehicles.
Congratulations
Either this or RM1 Rapid Van,
Both might help to reduce traffic Jam.
The car parks at prime area will not be overloaded causing people keep hogging nearby destination.
Why did Proton change their mapping service from Baidu to HERE again?
Do you need stable 5G for this service?
Habislah our grab drivers. AI coming for your job.
Until they meet a group of our rempits, of course. Even SkyNet will be hard-pressed to predict their behavior.
Robotaxi will activates terminator mode whenever rempits menace within vicinity…..LOLOLOLO
i really cant find any logic using robotaxi in our road with all those hazard around like red light beaters, rempit, faded road marks, narrow roads, etc. Not feasible, unless in putrajaya, with wide, well maintain roads. Plz improve the conditions of the roads, pedestrians path, and increase enforcement before doing this.
our road condition not yet conducive for robotaxi. we can’t even maintain our road with proper road marking (this i rate very poorly for penang island !! a ‘D” grade for penang state)…
can i take over the steering and pedal while hiring the apollo?
Remember when Taxi drivers riot at KLiA etc when Uber entered Malaysia?
This time it will be the Grab drivers turn to riot and burn robotaxis just like in San Francisco to the tune of SiA’s song:
Lokey, I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight
(I love cheap thrills)
Lokey, I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight
(I love cheap thrills)
But I don’t need no money
As long as I can feel the heat
I don’t need no money
As long as I keep burning the Waymos!