A CHINESE driverless car could be on the road sometime this year, according to the nation’s largest internet search engine Baidu.
The move mirrors efforts by Google and Apple in developing autonomous connected vehicles.
Bloomberg reports Baidu has been researching the smart car and is working with car manufacturers, CEO Robin Li said in Beijing, where he is attending meetings of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference but he refused to name the auto partners.
Marrying traditional and the cutting edge can speed up the evolution of the auto industry
China’s information technology and industry minister Miao Wei said last week that he would encourage companies outside the traditional auto industry to tie up with existing manufacturers to spur innovation and competition.
“Marrying traditional and the cutting edge can speed up the evolution of the auto industry,” said Han Weiqi, an analyst with CSC International Holdings in Shanghai. “IT companies have an edge in areas like big data, cloud technology and Internet of things, where traditional automakers are weak.”
Among other Chinese companies, Leshi Internet Information & Technology, a maker of web-enabled TVs, has said it would invest billions of dollars into developing a connected electric car.
Apple has been working on an electric auto and is pushing to begin production as early as 2020. Google said in January it aims to have a self-driving car on the road within five years.