Baidu has taken an important step in the autonomous vehicle sector with its driverless taxi service Apollo Go. Also known as the “Chinese Google,” Baidu has launched the Yichi 06 (Apollo RT6) model, which it developed with JMC, for a price of around $29,000 and has started deliveries. This move is a significant competitor to Tesla’s newly introduced Cybercab model.

Tesla Cybercab vs Baidu Yichi 06 (Apollo RT6)

Yichi 06 is an electric minivan that draws attention with its minimalist design, rear doors, and single-piece taillight. The vehicle, which is 4765 mm long, 1885 mm wide, and 1715 mm high, has a spacious interior with a wheelbase of 2830 mm.

It also draws attention with its 110 kW (147 hp) electric motor on its front axle and its LFP battery, which can be replaced in three minutes. However, the most striking feature of Yichi 06 is the sixth-generation Apollo autonomous driving system.

The vehicle, equipped with 40 sensors including 5 LiDAR units and processors with 1200 TOPS processing power, has L4 level autonomous driving capability. Thanks to this advanced technology, Yichi 06 can drive without a steering wheel, just like Tesla’s Cybercab model.

Baidu Apollo has significant experience with more than 32 million kilometers of autonomous driving tests and 7 million robotaxi journeys. Baidu, which has managed to reduce the production cost of Yichi 06 by 60 percent, has made the vehicle affordable.