Several passengers in China were reportedly trapped inside driverless taxis for hours due to a technical glitch that caused a group of robotaxis operated by Baidu to halt suddenly in traffic. The disruption affected Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi service in Wuhan, where multiple self-driving cars stopped functioning during their trips. Videos shared on social media showed several vehicles stopped in the middle of roads and intersections, impeding traffic flow.
Although the exact number of impacted vehicles remains uncertain, witnesses mentioned that numerous robotaxis were affected in a short period. One passenger, identified as a college student named He, recounted being stranded in a robotaxi with two friends for approximately 90 minutes. Despite the car stopping multiple times, it eventually pulled over near an intersection in eastern Wuhan. The vehicle’s display instructed them to remain seated with seatbelts fastened while awaiting assistance, which was anticipated to arrive shortly.
However, assistance was delayed, with passengers reportedly struggling to contact customer support for about 30 minutes. Even after connecting, they received no definitive answers. Subsequently, after waiting an additional hour without any aid, many passengers chose to exit the vehicles themselves, as the glitch did not lock the cars’ doors.
Although the sudden incident led to traffic congestions and minor accidents, no significant injuries were reported. Wuhan police attributed the issue to a probable system-wide technical malfunction and confirmed that all passengers disembarked safely. The exact cause is still being investigated.
The occurrence has garnered considerable attention, particularly as Baidu expands its Apollo Go robotaxi service to various cities. It has also raised concerns regarding the dependability and safety of such systems.