Chinese Joint Venture Will Begin Mass-Producing an Autonomous Electric Car (ieee.org) 60
IEEE Spectrum reports:
In October, a startup called Jidu Automotive, backed by Chinese AI giant Baidu and Chinese carmaker Geely, officially released an autonomous electric car, the Robo-01 Lunar Edition. In 2023, the car will go on sale.
At roughly US $55,000, the Robo-01 Lunar Edition is a limited edition, cobranded with China's Lunar Exploration Project. It has two lidars, a 5-millimeter-range radar, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and 12 high-definition cameras. It is the first vehicle to offer on-board, AI-assisted voice recognition, with voice response speeds within 700 milliseconds, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip. "It's a car, and, even more so, a robot," said Jidu CEO Joe Xia, during the live-streamed unveiling of the car (as translated from the Mandarin by CNBC). He added that it "can become the standard for self-driving cars."
But just how autonomous the car is remains to be seen: In January 2022 Baidu and Jidu said the car would have Level 4 autonomous driving capability, which does not require a human driver to control the vehicle. But the press release at the car's launch made no mention of Level 4, saying only that the car offered "high-level autonomous driving...." In September 2022, Baidu cofounder and CEO Robin Li noted that lower levels of autonomy shield car companies from liability in the event of a crash, because the driver is expected to be in control. With Level 4, the manufacturer of the car or the operator of the "robotaxi" service using the car would be to blame....
Regardless of the car's official autonomy designation, Baidu has billed its self-driving package, Apollo, as having Level 4 capabilities. That includes what the company calls a Point-to-Point Autopilot, designed to handle highway, city street, and parking scenarios. Jidu is conducting further tests in Beijing and Shanghai to ensure that its Point-to-Point Autopilot will cover all major cities in China. Chinese regulations do allow Level 4 in robotaxis that operate within designated geofenced areas, and Apollo has already shown what it can do in Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis, which have delivered more than 1 million rides in at least 10 cities across China.
Baidu recently unveiled its latest autonomous robotaxi, the Level-4 Apollo RT6, which has a detachable steering wheel. The absence of a steering wheel is a statement in itself, and it frees up cabin space for extra seating or even desktops, gaming consoles, and vending machines.
Meanwhile CNBC notes that the four-seat Robo-01 "has replaced the dashboard with a long screen extending across the front of the car and removed cockpit buttons — since the driver can use voice control instead, said Jidu CEO Joe Xia.
"Theoretically, the half-moon of a steering wheel can fold up, paving the way for a cockpit seat with no window obstructions, once full self-driving is allowed on China's roads...." Xia claimed Jidu "can become the standard for self-driving cars...."
Co-investor Geely has pushed into the electric car industry with its own vehicles, and announced in November a multi-year plan to build up the software component of the cars. The automaker said it aimed to commercialize full self-driving under specific conditions, called "Level Four" autonomous driving in a classification system, by 2025.
At roughly US $55,000, the Robo-01 Lunar Edition is a limited edition, cobranded with China's Lunar Exploration Project. It has two lidars, a 5-millimeter-range radar, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and 12 high-definition cameras. It is the first vehicle to offer on-board, AI-assisted voice recognition, with voice response speeds within 700 milliseconds, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip. "It's a car, and, even more so, a robot," said Jidu CEO Joe Xia, during the live-streamed unveiling of the car (as translated from the Mandarin by CNBC). He added that it "can become the standard for self-driving cars."
But just how autonomous the car is remains to be seen: In January 2022 Baidu and Jidu said the car would have Level 4 autonomous driving capability, which does not require a human driver to control the vehicle. But the press release at the car's launch made no mention of Level 4, saying only that the car offered "high-level autonomous driving...." In September 2022, Baidu cofounder and CEO Robin Li noted that lower levels of autonomy shield car companies from liability in the event of a crash, because the driver is expected to be in control. With Level 4, the manufacturer of the car or the operator of the "robotaxi" service using the car would be to blame....
Regardless of the car's official autonomy designation, Baidu has billed its self-driving package, Apollo, as having Level 4 capabilities. That includes what the company calls a Point-to-Point Autopilot, designed to handle highway, city street, and parking scenarios. Jidu is conducting further tests in Beijing and Shanghai to ensure that its Point-to-Point Autopilot will cover all major cities in China. Chinese regulations do allow Level 4 in robotaxis that operate within designated geofenced areas, and Apollo has already shown what it can do in Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis, which have delivered more than 1 million rides in at least 10 cities across China.
Baidu recently unveiled its latest autonomous robotaxi, the Level-4 Apollo RT6, which has a detachable steering wheel. The absence of a steering wheel is a statement in itself, and it frees up cabin space for extra seating or even desktops, gaming consoles, and vending machines.
Meanwhile CNBC notes that the four-seat Robo-01 "has replaced the dashboard with a long screen extending across the front of the car and removed cockpit buttons — since the driver can use voice control instead, said Jidu CEO Joe Xia.
"Theoretically, the half-moon of a steering wheel can fold up, paving the way for a cockpit seat with no window obstructions, once full self-driving is allowed on China's roads...." Xia claimed Jidu "can become the standard for self-driving cars...."
Co-investor Geely has pushed into the electric car industry with its own vehicles, and announced in November a multi-year plan to build up the software component of the cars. The automaker said it aimed to commercialize full self-driving under specific conditions, called "Level Four" autonomous driving in a classification system, by 2025.
Autonomous CCP vehicles (Score:1)
Do they recognize Falun Gong, Uigher and pro-freedom protesters as targets?
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It's like calling a feature "Full Self-Driving", except more specific in its false claims.
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Exactly, they are lying about reaching level 4 instead of lying about reaching level 5.
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price.
20 k would be a game changer
Danger to our Beloved Elon (Score:2)
Social Credit Integration (Score:4, Funny)
also kill people as the pay out for death is lower (Score:2)
also kill people as the pay out for death is lower then paying for the medical bills for life
it's a brilliant idea (Score:4)
...when you say the wrong thing and your covid passport turns red, the doors can just lock while the car drives you straight to the covid concentration, er, "quarantine" camp.
Takes out the middleman, really.
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You unbutton your date's bra before she's ready, and she yells "Tienanmen Tankman Tienanmen Tankman!"
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Zero COVID is over in China. I have first hand accounts from friends in Guangzhou that the lockdowns are now confined to just the building or block where an outbreak is detected. Daily testing has stopped, it's available if you want it but not required, no more COVID pass needed.
Infections are way up too.
Like most Chinese knockoffs (Score:2)
Well, does not look good for the west (Score:3, Insightful)
This is one area where China is set to overtake the west, because in this, actually doing it and collecting experience with it is everything now. Ridiculing and belittling them, like so many idiots here do, does accomplish nothing except make their advantage bigger. Not smart. The "then you win" step of the progression is still some time in the future for China, but unless the West gets it collective asses out of their behinds, it will come. And because of all the other problems with China, it would not be a good thing if it does.
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Also they keep their workforce healthy while we make ours sick.
Their lockdowns have literally killed people. The basic idea is sound, but their implementation is shit... Just like everything which comes out of China without having to go through western R&D and QA. Their whole production system is set up to avoid responsibility for their shit products. The company whose name was generated by pulling tiles from a scrabble set is inevitably closed by the time you seek service for the shit they foisted off upon you, and even if they weren't what are you going to do? Su
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Pretty sure the lockdowns haven't killed that many.
The thing is, the lockdowns don't work. People in China still get Covid. They have this bullshit "zero covid" policy that is literally unattainable. That's why you have Chinese protesting it in the streets despite the risk to liberty and life — it's no life. And it's not like the government actually values human life, it's all about economics, and yet it's not a good plan economically. And part of the economic reality is that The People of China would see how terrible their health care systems were w
Re: Well, does not look good for the west (Score:1)
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haha no [who.int]
That number is still small, but if the 5,000 is a lie (which it is) then the 30,000 might well be a massive undercount as well. In a country which has a whole system for disappearing criminals, and their family never sees the body again, it's trivial to suppress such data.
Re: Well, does not look good for the west (Score:2)
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They have no reason to lie though.
wat
COVID is a global war,
Unless someone released it deliberately in order to harm others, it is not a "war". And not even China is taking it as seriously as a war. When you have a war you bend your entire manufacturing base to that purpose. You reshape your society around the act of war. China has not done that. They are only issuing unfunded mandates backed with the threat of violence, and telling lies.
not a competition among nations.
Any time nations are depending on nationalism to keep the plebes going rah rah rah instead of torches and pitchforks, it's a co
Re: Well, does not look good for the west (Score:2)
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Well then cant know if they have COVID at all either, since it only suits their purpose to eggagerate higher because it gives them an excuse to control their people.
They don't need the excuse of high numbers, because their policy is to lock down down for any numbers. And they are not using that excuse.
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Think that will eliminate Covid?
It's a global economy and the zero covid rule is not only lowering the quality of life in China, it is impacting the global market for goods.
It's this uncertainty that is having companies ponder their choice to base mfg in China.. diversify and lower risk.
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Why does everyone always think this has to be about getting rid of covid?
Re: Well, does not look good for the west (Score:2)
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They have no reason to lie though.
Not having a reason to lie doesn't mean an authoritarian regime like China or Russia won't lie anyway. But in this case they do have a reason to lie - probably the best reason from their point of view: a large number of deaths would prove Xi's and the CCP's policy to be wrong, and this can't be tolerated.
COVID is a global war, not a competition among nations.
Again, I believe COVID is perceived in China - at least in part - as a competition among nations, and a matter of face. Throughout the history of COVID in China they have positioned themselves as antagonist
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Their lockdowns have literally killed people. The basic idea is sound, but their implementation is shit... Just like everything which comes out of China without having to go through western R&D and QA.
Western COVID response, including lockdowns, killed far more people. We really aren't in much of a position to be criticising China's policy here, given that if they had followed us there would be 4-5 million dead at least. Probably more, as their vaccines don't seem to be quite as effective as some of ours.
If you don't trust their figures then tell me how they disposed of 4 million + bodies, including many foreigners whose families would surely have noticed if they died, without any evidence of getting out
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As for their R&D and QA, Huawei proves that to be false.
You mean the company that literally everyone knows stole their way to greatness?
Lenovo proves that to be false.
You are lost. Lenovo is shit now. The build quality has gone down, the software is fucking awful, and the lineup is limp AF.
SAIC
got their technology from GM and VW
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How could Huawei have stolen 5G technology when it didn't exist before they invented it? How come everyone else was at least a couple of years behind them in developing that technology?
Maybe they have invented a time machine and stole it from the future.
SAIC electric vehicles are Chinese technology and it's better than what GM and VW use. Chinese batteries in particular are the best in the world.
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As for their R&D and QA, Huawei proves that to be false.
You mean the company that literally everyone knows stole their way to greatness?
So what? The US did that too and still does it in some areas. Have a look at tech history some time. Also remember that most "US" researchers are actually imported and not domestically educated.
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So what? The US did that too and still does it in some areas. Have a look at tech history some time. Also remember that most "US" researchers are actually imported and not domestically educated.
Don't worry, I don't think most Americans are well-educated. America yet remains attractive enough to bring in talent, although if we go full Handmaid's Tale that won't be true any more. China is a harder sell.
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Yes. But China 1) sends its people to get educated in other places and incentivizes them to come back and b) does educate engineers and scientists domestically from their own people. And they are getting better at it.
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The problem isn't whether technical skill exists, the problem is the incentives you're talking about. I don't believe you get people's best work when they're under threat all the time. The USA is getting worse in this regard again, however, so I suppose it is not as big a differentiator as it used to be.
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Indeed. But the "China bad!" morons are not mentally equipped to handle that this is quite a complex thing and that China can have a bad political system and still be economically a real threat.
Re: Well, does not look good for the west (Score:5, Insightful)
For the past 40 years, the Chinese communist party has had a tenuous agreement with its populous: we are in charge, absolutely and without limit, and in exchange we will bring many of you into the middle class, and a few of you into the upper class. Now that the economy is faltering and the communist party is losing control, hundreds of millions of people wish to renegotiate that deal.
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I have a friend who goes back to Taiwan once or twice per year. She doesn't like to talk about mainland China much but has confirmed through her family most of what is happening.
Is it exaggerated in US media? Probably, but so is everything. Does it make it false? No. I communicate with one of our facilities in China. This facility has been shut down for over 3 weeks due to Covid lockdown. In 2022, this is
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There are protests. So what? You think these protests will destroy China's industrial capabilities? Think again. If the protesters manage to get rid of Xi (the best outcome) that will make China _stronger_, not weaker.
We've got problems also (Score:2)
> China has real civil unrest for the first time since the Tiananmen Square Massacre,
And the USA ended it's 200+ year streak of "non-violent transfer of power" per Jan 6. The whole world is fucked up. The internet and pandemic together pushed the right trigger buttons of society's weak points.
I don't expect Jan 6. to be the end of US political turmoil. Roughly 10 million people with lots of guns are fully convinced the election was rigged and stolen, and the new Twitter under a proven troll is happy to f
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This is bollocks. The government has responded to the protests and abandoned Zero COVID, which is the main thing that the protestors wanted. Don't believe me? Here's a news article from a reputable Western source about it: https://www.theguardian.com/wo... [theguardian.com]
Now tell me how The Guardian isn't reputable, without bothering to verify from your preferred sources.
The protestors have largely been satisfied now. Of course the infection rate is rising too. The real danger here is that medical facilities are overwhelme
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Yup, the writing is on the wall. China now outnumbers the US in the ranking of the world's best universities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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> Ridiculing and belittling them, like so many idiots here do, does accomplish nothing except make their advantage bigger.
An example of this is solar panels. Their R&D raced ahead of US companies and left US in the dust. True, the Chinese gov't heavily subsidized such research, but few in the west took the plan seriously until after it worked. I bought stock in 2 US solar co's, and both tanked, so I got a personal reminder of western arrogance.
A bigger "problem" with this story is it's just marketing
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Indeed. Excellent example. The west was far ahead in this tech, but never managed to get this advantage actually into meaningful-sized production. And hence it was lost.
Arrogance cannot replace actual competence and those that get arrogant and superior because they believe they will be ahead forever usually find themselves not being ahead anymore not so much later.
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This is one area where China is set to overtake the west, because in this, actually doing it and collecting experience with it is everything now.
Absolutely true, because a few killed drivers or pedestrians are quickly swept under the carpet there.
We only would need to get rid of ambulance chasing lawyers and those layers of inert bureaucracy which suffocate most innovation. Then China would have no chance in overtaking us.
Lunar Edition? (Score:3)
At least an autonomous car on the moon won't have to cope with pedestrians
5-millimeter range ... (Score:2)
That should obviously be 5 millimeter wave radar, or more properly 60 GHz radar. Wonder if the Chinese have a home grown "4D" imaging radar, they certainly have the capability and it's not inherently expensive to manufacture. Would be one of the first to ship with it AFAICS. Self driving is as ever a pipedream, but 4D imaging radar should help with emergency braking in dense fog and rain.
Safety like that apartment fire in China (Score:2)
Want to bet it'll be "test in production" for the autonomous aspects?
In the same vein as that recent apartment fire where many lost their life because the doors were literally locked from the outside for covid reasons
e.g. "We have 100% success rate" (at the cost of a few oopsiie deaths).
See the autonomous future in action ... (Score:2)
Tesla's full self-driving beta 10.69.3.1 is impressive
https://twitter.com/WholeMarsB... [twitter.com]
We won't know how many people they kill (Score:2)
Voice Recognition (Score:1)
It is the first vehicle to offer on-board, AI-assisted voice recognition
As long as you speak Mandarin...
car (Score:1)
If Elon would stop dickin' around with Twitter (Score:2)
\o/ (Score:1)
JohnnyCab
I have seen the future in the past (Score:2)
Riding in an autonomous vehicle built by the Chinese will be the LAST DAMN THE I EVER DO! Not happening!
Don't plan on ever buying EV (Score:2)
The Chinese are Copycats (Score:2)
It looks like they've finally learned from Elon Musk's schtick! Announce you're producing a self-driving (autonomous) EV car, and then keep saying you're only one year away from implementing the (safe) self driving part.