Baidu, BAIC Aim for Mass Production of Autonomous Cars by 2021
Tencent Tech, 10/13/17
Beijing-based automaker BAIC Group and Chinese internet company Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) have announced the formation of a group level strategic partnership concerning autonomous cars, telematics, and cloud services.
Baidu and BAIC Group aim to achieve mass production of "L3" level autonomous vehicles around 2019 using BAIC car models and Baidu's "Apollo" project of large-scale open source driverless vehicle technology initiative as a basis and with Baidu's core artificial intelligence technology. By 2021, Baidu and BAIC hope to achieve large-scale production of L4 level autonomous cars.
Baidu will integrate its AI speech assistant system DuerOS, vehicle information security, and image recognition products and technologies into BAIC Group's in-dash computer system and jointly create a one-stop telematic product. By the end of 2018, Baidu Apollo telematics will be completely integrated into the BAIC brand. The strategic partnership estimates that 1 mln BAIC vehicles will be operating Baidu telematics in 2019.
Furthermore, Baidu and BAIC will partner in the field of cloud services with the creation of a cloud ecosystem, and on exploration of big data value added services, such as smart traffic and mobile transportation.
According to the outline of the partnership, solutions developed by Baidu and BAIC will be gradually implemented in all of BAIC's passenger, commercial, and new energy vehicles.
Editor's Note: For more background on Baidu and BAIC's cooperation in the area of autonomous vehicles, please see BAIC, Baidu to Unveil Self-driving Car in April, MD 1/09/17 issue.
Keywords: hardware Baidu BAIC BIDU telematics driverless vehicle artificial intelligence automobile