Baidu Robotaxis Halt in Wuhan, Highlighting Centralised Control

tech360.tv
2 hours ago
2 min read

Up to 500 Baidu Apollo Go self-driving cabs unexpectedly stopped during traffic in Wuhan, China, causing some riders to be stranded for hours on busy highways and leading to several accidents. The mass shutdown revealed a potential single point of failure in the centralised control system of the robotaxi fleet.

White car parked on a city street at night, illuminated by streetlights. Signs with text in Chinese visible in the background. — Credit: APPOLO GO

One passenger reported waiting 30 minutes to connect with a customer representative following the incident. This widespread disruption suggests that the Baidu robotaxis operate under a unified, centralised control system, rather than as independent units.

Baidu’s self-driving initiative, Apollo Go, operates a fleet that, as of November last year, was completing 250,000 rides per week. The primary Apollo Go vehicle is a four-seater car equipped with LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and 12 cameras, featuring sliding doors for easy access.

Baidu states the car possesses Level 4 autonomy, meaning it can theoretically operate without human input within designated areas. However, the recent event demonstrates the vehicles’ reliance on an external, centralised control system for ongoing functionality.

This dependency raises concerns about a single point of failure, capable of incapacitating an entire fleet, at least within a specific geographical zone. Furthermore, it implies the company, and potentially the Chinese government, could control the fleet remotely.

Such centralised control presents a national security risk for any other country considering deploying Baidu’s Apollo Go self-driving taxis. Western fleets face similar questions regarding their systems.

For example, Tesla vehicles can be remotely disabled via their centralised control systems, but the cars do not depend on a connection to the centralised control to function. No regional, national, or international shutdown of Tesla vehicles has been observed.

Likewise, fully self-driving car fleets such as Google’s Waymo prompt inquiries into whether their vehicles require an always-on connection to a central base.

Up to 500 Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis halted unexpectedly in Wuhan.
The incident stranded passengers and caused accidents, indicating centralised control.
Baidu's Apollo Go vehicles are four-seaters with advanced sensor technology and Level 4 autonomy.

Source: FORBES