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Baidu Announces New Open Platform To Help Speed Up Development of Self-Driving Cars (theverge.com)

Chinese tech giant Baidu has announced a new autonomous vehicle platform called Project Apollo, which aims to help speed up the development of self-driving cars. "Baidu says the platform encompasses both hardware and software, providing partners with the tech and open-source code needed to help their own vehicles perceive obstacles, plan their routes, and otherwise move around our world," reports The Verge. From the report: Baidu says it will first open up Project Apollo for cars operating in restricted environments in July, before offering it to vehicles driving in simple urban road conditions later this year. That's ahead of a gradual rollout of self-driving features that should see cars operating fully autonomously on highways and regular roads by 2020. The release comes as Baidu moves to position itself at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle industry. The Chinese company has aimed for the ambitious goal of getting a self-driving car to market by 2018, and is challenging rivals such as Google on its home turf, building a team of engineers based in Silicon Valley and scoring relevant permits so it can test vehicles in California.

8 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. Now with a new, free feature!! by XB-70 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Every Baidu self-driving car comes with a free, hidden, back door!

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    *** Don't be dull.***
    1. Re:Now with a new, free feature!! by kiviQr · · Score: 2

      Hatchback!?

  2. Re:Stop with the self-driving cars already! by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 2

    Love how you've spun that out as leftist when it will largely be the unions who try to fight against self driving cars, buses, trucks and trains.

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    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

  3. A new platform....relevant xkcd by zmaragdus · · Score: 2
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    (((dB)))
  4. Apollo? No Chinese mythology gods? by swb · · Score: 2

    I think it's kind of funny that they would choose a Greco-Roman cultural figure for their project name. Were there no gods of Chinese mythology available?

  5. ez pz by ogg2017 · · Score: 2

    ...and it will automatically drive you to the police station for your bi-weekly security interview and beating.

  6. Re:Apollo? No Chinese mythology gods? by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 2

    I think they just want to appeal to a more western market

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    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

  7. Re:Apollo? No Chinese mythology gods? by slew · · Score: 2

    I think it's kind of funny that they would choose a Greco-Roman cultural figure for their project name. Were there no gods of Chinese mythology available?

    I think Baidu was looking for an association with a "moon-shot" like Google, and called it Apollo as to not confuse it with the Chinese moon program (Chang'e), which unlike the Apollo program is still ongoing.