Baidu Inc., a China-based internet search engine giant recently revealed that it also has plans to create a self-driving vehicle. The Nasdaq-listed company stated that it created a team in Silicon Valley to work on its project.
The team in Silicon Valley is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, consisting of 100 researchers and engineers who will focus on testing, research and development of the upcoming autonomous car. Baidu is among to acquire people from various backgrounds to have a full perspective on the project. They will be part of Baidu’s new Autonomous Driving Unit. The company, which is based in Beijing, will be responsible for planning, control, systems and perception.
Android Headlines reports that the Silicon Valley team, called ADU-US, will focus on developing the autonomous technology. The group will build the most vital features and eventually test the automated cars in various environments. Some of their objectives include making transportation more efficient and safer.
"Baidu is fully committed to making self-driving cars a reality. Autonomous vehicles will save lives and make transportation more efficient. Baidu's Silicon Valley car team will play a significant role in building the car of the future,” stated Jing Wang, senior vice president of Baidu and general manager of Autonomous Driving Unit, in a article by International Business Times.
Aside from the Silicon Valley team, Baidu also partnered with BMW for the self-driving car project. In December 2015, Baidu and the German automaker revealed that they already finished the initial tests successfully. Baidu intends to progress in stages, beginning with autonomy-enabled regions. Its cars will also turn out to be clearly recognizable, similar to Google’s current autonomous fleet.
More companies in China are entering the autonomous car market after the government provided a plan to introduce self-driving vehicles on public streets. The plan to feature autonomous vehicles by 2025 may be launched sometime in 2016 and continue to be developed and implemented in the following three to five years. Li Keiang is the head of a committee who is drafting the plan, while the committee is supported by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Officials also started a regulatory mechanism for autonomous vehicles, which may eventually surpass Europe and the United States.
There is still no specific schedule regarding the acceptance of applications, actual hiring and testing periods. More updates and details on Baidu’s upcoming self-driving car are expected soon.
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