[Robotaxi Power Struggle: Fierce Battle for the Throne Unfolds in China - [Korea, China, and US Robotaxi War]③]

China Actively Supports Robotaxi Commercialization

Wuhan Opens Roads Six Times the Size of Seoul

Global 'Top Two' Baidu

Accumulated 2.6 Billion Kilometers of Driving Data

Editor's Note
Driverless taxis, or "robotaxis," have emerged as a core component of future mobility. The era has begun where the contest is no longer just about technological prowess, but about who can amass the most driving data and achieve real profits—a "data hegemony war." Supported by bold government backing, China is rapidly accumulating vast amounts of data, while the United States is surging ahead with unrivaled AI capabilities. In contrast, Korea, despite its world-class manufacturing capacity, is lagging in full-scale commercialization due to various regulations and insufficient institutional frameworks. The Asia Business Daily shines a spotlight on the autonomous driving landscapes in Beijing, China and Las Vegas, United States, examines the data strategies of US and Chinese big tech companies, and assesses the current status of Korean autonomous driving. Through this three-part series, we explore the global robotaxi battleground and seek survival strategies for our domestic industry.

Competition to claim the "robotaxi throne" is intensifying in China's autonomous driving market. Major players such as Baidu, Pony.ai, and WeRide are fueling a technological race, and the commercialization of robotaxis is accelerating rapidly across the country.

Baidu, Pony.ai, and WeRide Solidify the "Big Three" Structure

According to the industry as of March 16, the Chinese robotaxi market is currently dominated by Baidu, Pony.ai, and WeRide, forming a "Big Three" structure. Baidu leads the market with its robotaxi service "Apollo Go." Pony.ai is preparing to enter the global market through a partnership with Toyota, while WeRide is expanding its autonomous driving technology into various fields such as sanitation vehicles and logistics.

The rapid growth of the Chinese robotaxi industry is largely attributed to active government support. The Chinese government is fostering the autonomous driving industry as a strategic sector, simultaneously advancing policies and infrastructure support. Local governments are expanding test operation zones and providing subsidies so that companies can secure large-scale driving data on real roads. In major cities such as Beijing and Wuhan, policies are also in place to support technology development and vehicle operation costs for robotaxi companies.

China is particularly strong in "data acquisition," which is considered the core competitive edge in autonomous driving technology. Because autonomous vehicles improve their algorithms with vast driving data accumulated from real roads, China is expanding test zones at the national level, creating an environment where companies can collect such data.

Wuhan Opens Area Six Times the Size of Seoul... Data Is the Source of Technological Competitiveness

A prime example is Wuhan, which became the first city in China to commercialize unmanned robotaxis in 2022. At that time, Wuhan opened 3,400 km of roads, about 50% of its total, and allowed 24-hour operations. This is about six times the area of Seoul. In addition, more than 20 other regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, have opened up robotaxi commercialization, enabling Chinese autonomous driving companies to accumulate massive volumes of driving data—an ongoing process.

Baidu, considered one of the world's top two autonomous driving companies, surpassed 250,000 weekly ride-hailing calls last year and has accumulated a total of 2.6 billion kilometers of driving data. Pony.ai has also accelerated technological advancement, accumulating over 60 million kilometers of driving data in its commercial services.

Baidu Apollo Go's robotaxi stopped on a road in Beijing. Photo by Lee Seungjin

Big Techs Like Huawei Join In... A $47 Billion Market by 2035

Chinese big tech companies are also actively joining the robotaxi race. A representative example is Huawei. Huawei has developed its own autonomous driving system, "Qiankun (ADS)," to build a smart car platform, and is expanding partnerships with major automakers such as Changan Automobile, Dongfeng Motor, and Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC). By building an integrated smart car ecosystem encompassing hardware, software, and cloud, Huawei is increasing its presence in the autonomous driving market.

China is leveraging autonomous driving technology in a wide range of industries beyond robotaxis. In logistics, unmanned delivery vehicles are already in commercial operation. In some cities, autonomous patrol cars and road cleaning vehicles are deployed for urban management services. Goldman Sachs forecasts that while the Chinese robotaxi market stood at only 54 million dollars last year, it will surge to 47 billion dollars by 2035.

In this way, data accumulated not only through robotaxis but also in logistics and urban management is providing the foundation for the competitiveness of Chinese autonomous driving companies. An industry insider said, "Ultimately, the competitiveness of autonomous driving technology depends on how much data can be collected from actual roads. China is rapidly widening the technological gap with latecomers through policy support and large-scale test environments."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.