China has suspended new autonomous vehicle licenses after over 100 Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis suddenly stopped in Wuhan on March 31, stranding passengers and disrupting traffic. Authorities held a meeting to strengthen safety oversight, and Baidu's operations in the city are paused during the probe.
On March 31, over 100 Baidu Inc. Apollo Go robotaxis broke down on Wuhan streets, according to Chinese media. Local police blamed a system failure, though Baidu has not commented. The incident stranded passengers and raised alarms.
Three agencies, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), held a meeting early this month with local officials from cities running robotaxi programs. They urged thorough self-evaluations and stronger safety monitoring, sources familiar with the matter said, speaking anonymously.
The license freeze bars firms from adding robotaxis, starting tests, or expanding to new cities. Its duration is unknown. Apollo Go, China's largest provider, runs in over a dozen cities.
Baidu shares dropped 2.8% in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Pony AI fell 5.5%, and WeRide 4.7%. This year, WeRide is down nearly 10% and Pony AI about 30% in the U.S. Pony AI and WeRide said their services run normally. This marks the second Baidu-related permit suspension, after 2024 Wuhan protests.