China Halts New Robotaxi Licenses After Baidu Traffic Incident

• •China has suspended new licenses for autonomous vehicles after a Baidu incident.
• •Dozens of Baidu's robotaxis froze in traffic, stranding passengers in Wuhan.
• •Regulators are urging local governments to enhance safety monitoring of autonomous vehicles.

China has suspended the issuance of new licenses for autonomous vehicles following a significant incident involving Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis, which froze in traffic in Wuhan last month. This disruption stranded passengers and caused chaos on the roads, alarming authorities in Beijing. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other agencies have called for local governments to enhance safety monitoring and conduct self-reviews of their autonomous driving programs. The suspension prevents companies from expanding their fleets or starting new projects until further notice. This is not the first time Baidu has faced regulatory scrutiny, as previous incidents have prompted similar interventions. The current status of Baidu's operations in Wuhan remains paused while investigations are ongoing.