Robotaxi facts for kids
A robotaxi is like a regular taxi, but it drives itself! It's also called a self-driving taxi or driverless taxi. These special cars are autonomous, meaning they can drive without a human behind the wheel. They are usually used by companies that offer ride services.
Many experts think robotaxis could become very popular soon, especially in cities. They could change how we travel and might even become the main way people get around. Robotaxis could make roads safer, reduce traffic jams, and free up parking spots. They might also help the environment by reducing pollution and using less energy, as most will likely be electric cars.
Because robotaxis don't need a human driver, they could be cheaper to use. This might make "transportation-as-a-service" (like calling a ride) more popular than owning your own car. However, some people worry that this could mean fewer jobs for human drivers.
Even though people thought robotaxis would be everywhere by 2018, that hasn't happened yet. Many companies are testing them in cities around the world. Some of these tests even let the public pay for rides. But there are still questions about how far the technology has come and if people will truly accept these driverless cars.
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How Robotaxis Work Today
What Do Robotaxis Cost?
Early robotaxis were very expensive to build. They cost up to $300,000 each! This was because they needed special parts like LIDAR (which uses lasers to see) and many cameras and sensors.
Luckily, the price of some parts, like LIDAR, has dropped a lot. Companies like Baidu are working to make robotaxis more affordable. They announced plans to build them for about $77,665 each. Even with lower costs, companies still need to pay for things like maintenance and customer support.
Testing Rides for Passengers
Many companies are testing robotaxi services, especially in the United States and China. These tests usually happen in specific areas called "geo-fenced zones." These are special zones where the robotaxis are allowed to operate safely.
In the beginning, these cars often had one or two "safety drivers" inside. These drivers were ready to take control if anything went wrong. Early rides were often free and only for company employees or special guests.
Now, some tests are happening without any safety drivers in the car! However, if the weather is bad, like heavy rain, a human driver might still be present. If a robotaxi gets stuck, a support driver might come to help, or the car might be driven remotely. Some companies have even started letting the public pay for rides.
Besides regular taxis, there are also larger self-driving shuttles. These can carry 6 to 10 passengers on fixed routes with specific stops. Most of these shuttles drive slowly, but some newer ones, like the Zoox and Cruise Origin, can even drive on highways.
Getting a Taxi License
Before robotaxis can operate, companies need special permits and licenses. In February 2018, Waymo received a permit to operate in Arizona.
In California, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) gave permits to Cruise and Waymo in February 2022. This allowed them to offer rides with a safety driver in the car. Later, in June 2022, Cruise got final approval to run a commercial robotaxi service in San Francisco without a safety driver.
Chinese companies like Baidu and Pony.ai also received permits in April 2022. This allowed them to use robotaxis without human drivers on open roads in a 23-square-mile area in Beijing. This was a big step for them in their home country.
Robotaxi History
First Robotaxi Rides
In August 2016, a company called NuTonomy was the first to offer robotaxi rides to the public. They started with 6 modified cars in a small area in Singapore. NuTonomy later partnered with companies like Grab (a rival to Uber) and Lyft to expand its robotaxi service.
In August 2017, Cruise Automation, a company owned by General Motors, started testing a robotaxi service for its employees in San Francisco. They used a fleet of 46 electric cars.
Major Robotaxi Companies
Uber's Self-Driving Efforts
Uber started working on self-driving cars in 2015. In September 2016, they began a test in Pittsburgh, letting some users order robotaxis. They later expanded tests to San Francisco and then Tempe, Arizona.
In March 2018, Uber stopped its self-driving tests after an incident involving a pedestrian in Arizona. Uber later sold its self-driving car division to another company called Aurora Innovation in 2021.
Waymo's Robotaxi Service
Waymo is a self-driving car company that started at Google. In early 2017, Waymo began a big public robotaxi test in Phoenix. They used many minivans from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Waymo also partnered with Lyft to work on self-driving cars.
In November 2017, Waymo announced that some of its cars were driving in Arizona without a safety driver. Then, in December 2018, Waymo launched its first self-driving taxi service for paying customers, called Waymo One, in Arizona. By 2019, these cars were operating without a backup driver. As of 2021, Waymo also offers autonomous taxi service in San Francisco.
GM Cruise's Driverless Cars
In January 2020, Cruise showed off its Cruise Origin vehicle. This car is designed to be fully driverless and used for ride-hailing services.
In February 2022, Cruise started its driverless taxi service in San Francisco. They also asked U.S. regulators for permission to build and use a self-driving vehicle without any human controls. Cruise's partner, Honda, plans to use the Cruise Origin for a mobility service in Tokyo by the mid-2020s.
Other Companies Working on Robotaxis
Many carmakers and tech companies are planning to develop robotaxis before 2025. Here are some of their plans:
- The startup Zoox wants to build a robotaxi from scratch.
- Daimler AG and Bosch are working together to create software for a robotaxi service by 2025.
- The Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance is partnering with Transdev and DeNA to develop robotaxi services.
- Didi Chuxing is also working with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance to launch robotaxi services in China.
- BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles are partnering with Intel and Mobileye to develop robotaxis.
- Honda showed an autonomous concept car called NeuV that could be a personal robotaxi.
- Baidu is working with Nvidia to develop autonomous cars and robotaxis.
- Ford Motor had plans to develop a robotaxi and invested in a startup called Argo AI, but that startup was later closed.
- Lyft and Ford partnered to add Ford's self-driving cars to Lyft's network. Lyft's self-driving division was later sold to Toyota.
- Delphi bought the startup NuTonomy to help with its robotaxi efforts.
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