System Failure Halts Baidu Robotaxis in Chinese City, Leaving Passengers Stranded
Multiple Apollo Go robotaxis operated by Chinese tech giant Baidu have stalled in the middle of traffic in Wuhan due to a confirmed system malfunction, according to local police. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, left distressed riders trapped for hours, with many reporting ineffective customer service responses that offered little practical assistance during the emergency.
Police Confirm Widespread Robotaxi Failures in Central China
Authorities in Wuhan began receiving numerous calls "one after another" from passengers reporting that autonomous vehicles had frozen and become immobilized on roadways. Police stated that "multiple Apollo Go cars stopped in the middle of the road, unable to move," with preliminary investigations pointing to a system malfunction as the root cause. Baidu maintains a fleet of over 500 driverless vehicles in Wuhan, though the exact number affected by this incident remains unspecified.
Passengers Endure Harrowing Ordeal on Elevated Highway
One rider documented a 90-minute ordeal on Chinese social media platform RedNote, describing how their vehicle broke down on an elevated highway at 9 PM local time. "I called robotaxi's customer service, but couldn't get through at first," the user reported. "After calling repeatedly, everyone I spoke with said they had dispatched a specialist." The passenger's order was eventually cancelled after 10:30 PM, leaving them stranded on an overpass surrounded by heavy dump trucks before eventually being rescued.
Customer Service Criticized for Inadequate Emergency Response
Frustrated riders accused Apollo Go customer service agents of providing "useless platitudes" rather than concrete solutions for handling the emergency situation. Social media footage of the incident circulated widely, including one video with the caption "Apollo Go, are you paralysed?" showing unsuccessful attempts to contact the company through an in-car tablet interface.
History of Safety Concerns with Baidu's Autonomous Vehicles
This is not the first safety incident involving Baidu's robotaxi operations. Last December, authorities in Zhuzhou suspended robotaxi services after a Baidu autonomous vehicle struck two pedestrians, sending both to intensive care units. The company, often described as China's equivalent to Google, launched Apollo Go publicly in Beijing in late 2020 and now operates in designated zones across several Chinese cities.
Baidu's Expanding Autonomous Vehicle Operations
Despite these setbacks, Baidu's autonomous vehicle business continues to expand rapidly. Company filings show Apollo Go provided 3.4 million driverless rides in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing more than a 200% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The company has recently announced partnerships with rideshare platforms Lyft and Uber to deploy its autonomous vehicles on their networks as part of international expansion efforts.
Baidu did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the Wuhan incident, according to Reuters reporting. The system failure highlights ongoing challenges in the deployment of fully autonomous vehicle technology, particularly regarding emergency response protocols and passenger safety during technical malfunctions.
