Autonomous Baidu taxi plunges into construction pit, sparks safety debate in China

An autonomous taxi operated by Baidu’s Apollo Go service fell into a deep construction pit while carrying a passenger in south-western China, sparking fresh debate over the safety of driverless cars.

The incident occurred on August 6 in Chongqing, according to Chinese media outlets including Southern Metropolis Daily and Huashang Newspaper. A female passenger was inside the vehicle at the time but escaped without injury. Local residents used a ladder to help her climb out.

Videos shared on Chinese social media showed a white car bearing the Baidu Apollo logo resting at the bottom of what appeared to be a fenced-off construction trench.

A nearby shop owner told Huashang Newspaper the site had barriers and warning signs, but it remained unclear how the vehicle managed to breach them.

Reuters confirmed the location seen in the viral clips but could not determine how the robotaxi entered the pit. Baidu has yet to comment on the incident.

Baidu, which operates one of China’s largest autonomous vehicle fleets, runs commercial robotaxi services in multiple cities, including Wuhan, Beijing, and Chongqing.

The accident has reignited online discussions about the readiness and safety of fully autonomous transport.