UK social media influencer lauds Robotaxi

Jason Lightfoot stands in front of a Robotaxi that he hailed. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

On Jan 15, Jason Lightfoot from the United Kingdom used a mobile app to hail a Robotaxi at Wuhan Business University. "I've been hearing about the unmanned taxi service in the Wuhan Economic Development Zone (WEDZ) for a while, and I'm really looking forward to this experience," he said.

Since 2015, Jason Lightfoot has been creating and sharing short videos on YouTube, introducing the authentic side of China to the world. As a social media influencer, he has uploaded hundreds of short videos and has amassed 3.63 million followers on platforms such as Douyin, Bilibili, and YouTube.

Three minutes later after he placed the order online, an unmanned taxi smoothly pulled up in front of Jason. Following the system prompts, he entered his phone number, got in, and everything went smoothly.

Baidu's Robotaxi operates in the WEDZ. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

In August 2022, Baidu Apollo's autonomous driving service platform, Robotaxi, launched fully unmanned autonomous travel services in the WEDZ. Currently, Robotaxi has deployed 300 unmanned vehicles in Wuhan, achieving the first domestic autonomous driving shuttle service between the city and the airport.

Lightfoot also shared his riding experience with friends, "Sitting in the back seat, you can adjust the interior temperature, and listen to your favorite music. I really enjoyed this journey. It was truly a fantastic experience."