Baidu may team up with Tesla on self-driving Robotaxi production in China

Baidu Inc. is exploring a potential collaboration with Tesla Inc. to produce Tesla's self-driving Robotaxi in China.

This announcement was made by Xu Baoqiang, the general manager of Baidu's autonomous driving vehicle unit, in a Weibo post on Wednesday.

Baidu's plan depend on Tesla's market entry

Xu explained that the success of this potential partnership hinges on Tesla's strategies regarding the pace and approach of its entry into the Chinese market.

The details of how and when Tesla plans to expand its Robotaxi operations in China will be crucial in determining the feasibility of the collaboration.

Boost to Baidu's Apollo Go project

If the collaboration proceeds, it will mark a significant advancement for Baidu's own robotaxi initiative, Apollo Go.

Baidu has projected that Apollo Go will break even by the fourth quarter of 2024 and begin generating profit in 2025.

Partnering with Tesla could accelerate this timeline and enhance the technological capabilities of both companies' autonomous driving projects.