A Baidu Apollo Go self-driving taxi has sparked widespread safety concerns after crashing into a deep construction pit in the Chinese city of Chongqing.
Passenger Escapes Safely
Dramatic footage shared online shows the robotaxi lying sideways at the bottom of the trench. A female passenger was seen climbing out of the vehicle with the help of bystanders. Thankfully, she was not injured.
How Did It Happen?
The exact cause of the incident remains unclear, and Baidu has yet to release an official statement.
According to Chinese media reports, the construction site was marked with signs and barriers that the vehicle’s sensors should have detected. However, the widely circulated video appears to show the pit exposed, with no obvious barriers preventing vehicles or pedestrians from approaching the edge.
Ongoing Problem for Self-Driving Cars
The crash highlights a known vulnerability in autonomous driving systems: their difficulty detecting large, irregular road hazards such as pits or trenches.
In 2023, U.S. outlet The Intercept reported internal messages from General Motors’ now-defunct Cruise division, revealing its robotaxis also struggled with this issue. Engineers even predicted that a Cruise vehicle would likely drive into an unoccupied pit about once a year, calling it “a major flaw.”
Baidu’s Expansion Ambitions
Baidu’s Apollo Go is one of the world’s most ambitious robotaxi services. It currently operates in at least 15 Chinese cities with a fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles and has completed millions of rides.
The company has also announced plans to expand internationally, including partnerships with Uber and Lyft to roll out robotaxi fleets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
A Serious Setback
While the passenger in Chongqing was unharmed, the incident will intensify scrutiny of autonomous driving technology. For Baidu and the wider industry, it is a stark reminder that safety remains the biggest obstacle to public trust and regulatory approval.
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