At the ongoing China Automotive Industry Conference in Shanghai， Jiang Liqi， Vice President of Huawei’s Intelligent Automotive Solutions BU， stated that autonomous driving taxis (Robotaxis) are poised to replace a portion of public transportation， ushering in significant societal change.
Jiang explained that Robotaxi represents a new， untapped market with the potential to reach trillions of yuan in value. He outlined several key drivers for this projection:
1. **Replacement of Existing Ride-Hailing Services:** Robotaxis are expected to gradually replace millions of existing traditional taxis and ride-sharing vehicles， as well as tens of millions of part-time driving vehicles， achieving a fully autonomous transition.
2. **Cost Reduction and Public Transport Integration:** The widespread adoption of autonomous driving technology is projected to reduce per-kilometer costs by 50%， potentially to as low as 1 yuan. This cost-effectiveness could lead to Robotaxis gradually supplanting certain public transportation options like buses and subways.
3. **Alternative to Low-to-Mid-Range Vehicles:** Autonomous driving taxis could also become a viable alternative for consumers looking for functional， lower-to-mid-range vehicles priced below 150，000 to 200，000 yuan， offering a more convenient and potentially cheaper mobility solution.
4. **Enhanced Safety and Societal Impact:** A significant benefit cited is a tenfold improvement in performance concerning traffic accidents and overall safety. This enhanced safety record could lead to profound positive changes for society.
This announcement follows recent statements from Elon Musk， who indicated that Tesla might expand its Robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area within “one to two months，” contingent on regulatory approval. Tesla has already commenced pilot operations for its Robotaxi service in Austin， Texas， deploying an initial fleet of 10 Model Y vehicles. Passengers are currently charged a fixed fee of $4.2 for rides.
