Autonomous taxis drive Hainan's smart tourism

Reporters in Haikou recently tested an autonomous taxi service operated by Baidu's Apollo Go, part of Hainan province's effort to turn the island into a global tourism and shopping hub.

The robotaxi service, designated a "smart cultural tourism guide" for the 2025 Hainan Island Carnival, which opened on Aug 2, links key sites including Holiday Beach, Qilou (arcade buildings) Old Street, the Haikou duty-free shopping complex, East Railway Station, and the Hainan Museum.

This "mobility as a service, stops as experiences" model is designed to blend transportation with tourism, making each journey a component of the sightseeing experience, according to the Hainan Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Film, Television, Publications and Sports.

Passengers can use a Hainan-themed voice guide during rides that showcase the local culture.

Industry analysts say autonomous driving could raise the quality and speed of tourist transport.

Officials from Haikou's tourism and culture bureau said that Apollo Go is helping build a "smart, efficient, and friendly" tourism environment through safe and green mobility services, thereby supporting the broader construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Apollo Go has deployed more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles across 15 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

In the second quarter of this year, it provided over 2.2 million rides - a 148 percent year-on-year increase. As of August, cumulative global rides have exceeded 14 million, ranking it first worldwide. The company has also recently partnered with international ride-hailing platforms Uber and Lyft to expand services in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Technological development underpins the platform's expansion. In May 2024, Baidu Apollo introduced the Apollo ADFM, described as the world's first large model supporting L4 autonomous driving, along with its sixth-generation autonomous vehicle. The company claims the new system delivers a safety level ten times higher than human drivers and supports complex urban scenarios, providing a foundation for large-scale commercial operations.