Skip to main content

Ford and Baidu to trial self-driving vehicles in China

Ford has joined forces with technology company Baidu to test Level 4 self-driving vehicles in China over the next two years. Level 4, established by the SAE International (formerly the US Society of Automotive Engineers), will allow the vehicles to operate without intervention from a human driver. A report by CNBC says Ford’s self-driving vehicles are equipped with Baidu’s autonomous driving system Apollo. The cars are expected to be deployed in on-road tests by the end of 2018. Sherif Marakby, pr
November 5, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
278 Ford has joined forces with technology company Baidu to test Level 4 self-driving vehicles in China over the next two years.


Level 4, established by the 567 SAE International (formerly the US Society of Automotive Engineers), will allow the vehicles to operate without intervention from a human driver.

A report by %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external CNBC false https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/31/ford-and-baidu-team-up-to-test-self-driving-vehicles-in-china.html false false%> says Ford’s self-driving vehicles are equipped with Baidu’s autonomous driving system Apollo. The cars are expected to be deployed in on-road tests by the end of 2018.

Sherif Marakby, president and CEO of Ford's autonomous vehicles unit, says the initiative will allow the company to offer solutions which improve safety, convenience and overall mobility experience.

In July, Baidu extended its %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 36218 0 link-external partnership false /sections/general/news/daimler-and-baidu-to-develop-automated-driving-and-connectivity-in-china/ false false%> with German car manufacturer 2069 Daimler to develop automated driving and connectivity projects in China.

The partnership initially formed in 2017 to develop the Apollo platform. Daimler also joined the Apollo Committee, a group whose stated aim is to accelerate research on safer solutions in automated driving and promote the drafting of related regulations.

Related Content

  • March 19, 2018
    Berghaus shows latest developments with ProTec crash barrier
    Visitors to the Peter Berghaus stand will see the result of continued development with the company’s ProTec family, resulting in its mobile crash barrier becoming a system. Initially, Berghaus focused on developing and using mobile crash barriers made of steel. This was followed soon after by a clever combination of steel and concrete, resulting in the first ProTec crash barrier to be successfully tested to the European standard DIN EN13172.
  • October 9, 2013
    Emergency call forum: Where do we go from here?
    The Ertico partnership is hosting a one-day forum in Brussels on 7 November to examine the future development of automated emergency call (eCall) and the evolution of telematics services. Discussions and debates will take place around a series of topics, including: the status of emergency call once eCall is deployed; challenges to enable further business opportunities; the potential of new technologies and new services within emergency call and beyond eCall.
  • March 20, 2018
    China’s Owleye shows bright idea
    China’s Guangzhou Owleye Optoelectronic Technology is showing its new solar-powered traffic cone light, which aims to improve safety when warnings must be given to drivers of roadworks or other potential dangers. To ensure maximum flexibility with an operator’s existing equipment, the new light has a stainless steel ring that can be installed directly on to any size of traffic cone.
  • March 20, 2018
    China’s Owleye shows bright idea
    China’s Guangzhou Owleye Optoelectronic Technology is showing its new solar-powered traffic cone light, which aims to improve safety when warnings must be given to drivers of roadworks or other potential dangers. To ensure maximum flexibility with an operator’s existing equipment, the new light has a stainless steel ring that can be installed directly on to any size of traffic cone.