Key Takeaways
- More than 100 Apollo Go autonomous taxis froze in the middle of Wuhan streets Tuesday following a system malfunction
- Some riders remained stuck inside vehicles for up to two hours, and at least one highway crash was documented
- Local authorities verified the incident and confirmed all passengers evacuated safely while investigations continue
- The malfunction has sparked renewed concerns on Chinese platforms regarding autonomous vehicle safety standards
- Baidu remains silent with no official statement released about the disruption
Baidu’s Apollo Go network — China’s most extensive robotaxi operation — encountered a major disruption Tuesday evening when over 100 autonomous vehicles abruptly halted across multiple Wuhan thoroughfares.
Authorities in Wuhan acknowledged the event through an official Weibo post, attributing the disruption to what they described as a “system malfunction.” While passengers were ultimately able to leave the vehicles unharmed, several individuals remained inside due to dangerous traffic conditions and requested police assistance.
Footage authenticated by Reuters and circulated on Douyin displayed the autonomous vehicles obstructing traffic lanes throughout the metropolitan area, creating significant congestion. Social media reports also mentioned at least one collision on a highway.
Certain riders found themselves waiting inside the disabled vehicles for approximately two hours until operations resumed. Apollo Go personnel collaborated with local officials to address the situation.
Wuhan serves as Apollo Go’s primary operational hub, hosting over 1,000 completely driverless taxis. The municipality has functioned as a flagship location for Baidu’s self-driving vehicle strategy.
Baidu had yet to issue responses to media inquiries from Reuters or CNBC when reports were published.
Previous Safety Incidents
This incident marks another challenge for the autonomous taxi sector. Last August, an Apollo Go vehicle with a passenger aboard dropped into an open construction site in Chongqing. Three months earlier in May, a Pony.ai robotaxi ignited while traveling on a Beijing roadway. Both events concluded without casualties.
On the other side of the globe, Waymo’s San Francisco fleet experienced a similar shutdown last year when a power failure caused multiple vehicles to stop, creating comparable traffic disruptions.
The Wuhan malfunction generated significant discussion across Chinese digital platforms, with commenters challenging whether autonomous technology has achieved sufficient maturity for widespread commercial use.
Apollo Go’s International Expansion
Notwithstanding Tuesday’s technical setback, Apollo Go continues aggressive international growth. Baidu’s Q4 2025 report documented 3.4 million completely autonomous trips during the quarter, with weekly volume exceeding 300,000 during high-demand periods.
The platform now operates or conducts testing in 26 international metropolitan areas. Throughout the Middle East, fully autonomous operations launched in Abu Dhabi, with services recently commencing through the Uber platform in Dubai.
Apollo Go maintains collaborative agreements with Uber and Lyft for pilot programs in London. Uber has not yet addressed inquiries regarding potential impacts on its Dubai operations following the Wuhan malfunction.
Chinese insurance authorities are reportedly finalizing regulatory frameworks for autonomous vehicle policies, according to Monday coverage by Yicai Global. The Wuhan disruption could potentially expedite these regulatory developments.
Investigators continue examining the root cause of the system failure.
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