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

  • Second eCall interoperability event
    June 18, 2013
    The second eCall interoperability event will be held in Essen, Germany from 9to 13 September 2013, organised in cooperation with CETECOM and the HeERO project. eCall participants are invited to join the event to test their in-vehicle systems (IV) and/or Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) implementations. Interoperability and eCall service harmonisation are critical challenges to be taken into account for successful deployment and operation of the eCall service. The event will enable participants to check
    Read More
  • Call for contributions open for ITS World Congress 2020
    August 8, 2019
    The International Program Committee is inviting ITS experts to submit their contributions for papers and special interest sessions for the 2020 ITS World Congress in Los Angeles. Focusing on ‘The New Age of Mobility’, contributors will be prompted to select up to three technologies including artificial intelligence/machine learning, automated vehicle, connected vehicle, cybersecurity, alternative fuels, emissions, rural, smart city and truck operations. These technologies fit into eight programme the
    Read More
  • Webinar: developments in driver assistance systems
    February 2, 2015
    The webinar on 6 February from 1400-1500 CET, From Advanced Active Safety Systems to Automated Systems: From interactIVe to AdaptIVe and beyond focuses on the evolution from driver assistance systems to automated driving. This is based mainly on two large scale EU integrated projects: interactIVe and AdaptIVe. The webinar will discuss the interactIVe project, its objectives, main outcomes and lessons learned and provide an overview of the objectives and vision of automated driving functions that will be
    Read More
  • AVs could make driving ‘more dangerous’: report
    May 23, 2018
    Automated vehicles (AVs) could make driving more dangerous – that is the stark suggestion from a new report by the International Transport Forum (ITF). The report - Safer Roads with Automated Vehicles? – casts doubt on claims that 90% of road deaths could be avoided because the introduction of AVs would eliminate human error. ITF says such claims are at best “untested”.
    Read More

Highlighted Content