Xpeng Vice Chairman Discusses the Likelihood of Self-Driving Taxis as a Significant Business in the Next Five Years

Xpeng Vice Chairman and Co-President Brian Gu recently made a statement at a mall in Beijing, saying that self-driving taxis are not expected to become a significant business for at least the next five years. This prediction differs from Elon Musk’s vision of Tesla developing artificial intelligence software for a robotaxi network.

Despite the potential of robotaxis for the future of mobility, Gu believes that establishing a full-fledged commercial operation will take longer than anticipated. He stated that Xpeng is not currently planning to launch this service. The company, which is known for its electric cars, has positioned itself as a leader in driver-assist technology in the market.

Gu highlighted the importance of extensive testing before implementing any autonomous driving services. He pointed out that other Chinese tech companies like Baidu and Pony.ai have received approval in certain areas of China to operate fully driverless taxis and charge fares. These locations, including Beijing and Wuhan, are seen as hubs for testing new technologies in the autonomous driving sector.