China’s first Level 4 Robotaxis production line by Alibaba-backed Autox is ready

China’s first Level 4 Robotaxis production line by Alibaba-backed Autox is ready. Source: AutoX

China’s first Level 4 Robotaxis production line by AutoX is ready

  • The production facility will manufacture AutoX’s newest Gen5 system-powered fully driverless RoboTaxis that operate without accompanying safety drivers.
  • The production lines are equipped with a range of advanced production technologies and systems, including ABB robots, and control and transmission systems.

In January this year, Chinese autonomous vehicle startup AutoX, backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, opened its autonomous Robotaxis services to the Chinese public for the first time. Now, the company announced the completion of its first locally dedicated production facility that would allow more production of their Level 4 fully driverless vehicles.

Being one of the front runners in Level 4 fully autonomous RoboTaxis in China, AutoX said fleets of its Gen5 system-equipped RoboTaxis – which were officially launched in July this year and operate without accompanying safety drivers – are already rolling off the production line and getting ready to hit the road as demand continues to soar for autonomous vehicles (AVs).

In a statement to media, the startup said since the factory opened in July 2021, the production line has completed three rounds of design and process optimizations to churn out AutoX’s signature RoboTaxis with an extremely high level of accuracy and consistency. “Purposefully designed and built by AutoX, the factory produces the company’s cutting-edge Gen5-powered RoboTaxi fleet,” AutoX said.

Currently, AutoX operates China’s largest service area for fully driverless RoboTaxis across 65 square miles of Shenzhen. The vehicles are able to navigate all public roads in the Pingshan District of Shenzhen, which makes AutoX the first driverless RoboTaxi service to cover an entire district in a Chinese megalopolis.

A facility that is China’s first of its kind, the new production facility marks a major milestone in China’s AV industry as “a dedicated production line is critical to guarantee the quality, safety, and consistency of every RoboTaxi,” AutoX said.

The production lines are also equipped with a range of advanced production technologies and systems, including ABB robots, and control and transmission systems designed by Siemens, Omron, Schneider Electric, Philips, SEW, and Mitsubishi. AutoX said it is to ensure the production-level quality of the complex autonomous driving system.

In a new video of the RoboTaxi factory while it is in operation, viewers are given a peek at the AutoX Gen5 system for the first time, giving them a close look at the wiring and assembly of the two main sensor towers and blind-spot sensor suites. 

“Hidden in the trunk of the RoboTaxi is the AutoX XCU, the vehicle computing unit that powers the autonomous driving software stack as well as all of the vehicle’s high resolution sensors via automotive-grade connectors. The computer is connected to liquid cooling devices integrated with the vehicle’s thermal management system. After installation, the compact AutoX XCU is tucked neatly under the trunk bed, leaving enough room for passengers’ luggage,” the company said.

Every RoboTaxi coming off the pre-delivery inspection line then proceeds to the automatic multi-sensor calibration turntable, and goes through wheel calibration as well as temperature and waterproof testing. As AutoX puts it, “as soon as a RoboTaxi leaves the facility’s gates, it is ready to operate autonomously.”