China's ride-hailing company DiDi Global will introduce the first mass-produced robotaxis on its platform from 2025, as it seeks to boost the adoption of autonomous vehicles on a large scale.
The robotaxis are being produced by DiDi Autonomous Driving, the self-driving technology division of the Beijing-based company, it said in a statement on Thursday.
It is the result of a collaboration with new energy vehicle manufacturers in areas including vehicle platform selection, cockpit and intelligent driving system development, it said.
The decision to introduce the vehicles is backed by DiDi’s "extensive experience in shared mobility services and cutting-edge technology", said Zhang Bo, chief executive of DiDi Autonomous Driving and chief technology officer of DiDi Global.
“We believe the introduction of a mixed dispatching system that combines autonomous and traditional vehicles within a shared mobility network is the future of transportation efficiency,” he said.
L4 refers to the second-highest of the six levels of vehicle autonomy, which run from 0 to 5, in which vehicles do not require human intervention under most circumstances. Level 5, the highest, requires no human attention and vehicles under this status may not even have steering wheels or pedals.
Car manufacturers are racing to bring self-driving autonomous vehicles (AVs) on to the roads as part of the next generation of transport.
The advanced computers that control AVs allow for a smoother driving experience, with speed and acceleration under control, which could also result in more efficient use of fuel, according to environmental news and data platform Earth.org.
The value of the global autonomous vehicle market is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030, from about $94.4 billion in 2021, growing at a compound annual rate of almost 39 per cent, latest data from Precedence Research indicates.
This is close to an earlier estimate from analysts at Swiss bank UBS that the market could be worth about $2 trillion a year by 2030.
We believe the introduction of a mixed dispatching system that combines autonomous and traditional vehicles within a shared mobility network is the future of transportation efficiency
Zhang Bo,
chief executive of DiDi Autonomous Driving and chief technology officer of DiDi Global
However, concerns have also been raised about the safety of AVs, with vehicles developed by companies such as Tesla Motors, the world's biggest electric vehicle maker, and Google involved in accidents, some of which have been fatal.
DiDi, however, has "prioritised safety" since its fleet of more than 200 robotaxis was deployed for its on-demand service in Shanghai in 2020, it said.
“DiDi's Robotaxi service has a robust safety record and has been safely operating for 1,020 consecutive days,” said Meng Xing, chief operating officer of DiDi Autonomous Driving.
“In order to meet users’ diverse and evolving mobility demands now and in the future, we will continue to optimise our robotaxi service by continuing to improve rider experience.”
DiDi Autonomous Driving also unveiled its first concept robotaxi, the DiDi Neuron, which features an in-vehicle robotic arm that can pick up luggage, wake passengers up and retrieve items from throughout the cabin, as well as its new autonomous truck business, Kargobot.
DiDi Global, which was founded in 2012, operates in more than a dozen countries. Among its most notable backers are China's Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group, Japan's SoftBank, US ride-hailing company Uber Technologies and Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding.
It listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 before delisting the following year over an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices.
SPECS
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Masters%20of%20the%20Air
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pakistanis%20at%20the%20ILT20%20
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SUZUME
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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More on animal trafficking
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
