China's Baidu robotaxi hits pedestrians, traps one person beneath it

A Baidu robotaxi collided with two pedestrians in Zhuzhou, causing chaos as bystanders tried to lift the vehicle to help the injured. One victim, wearing a helmet, was trapped under the car. Both pedestrians, a man and a woman, were transported to the ICU, but their conditions remain unclear.

Authorities confirmed the vehicle was part of Baidu's autonomous fleet, which began public road testing last August. Following the incident, the company paused its robotaxi service in Zhuzhou. Baidu's Apollo Go operates in 22 cities, while the Hello company's ambitions include 50,000 robotaxis by 2027, with its first L4 vehicle expected in 2026.