Robotaxi: Chinese automakers directly challenge Tesla.

Chinese automakers are directly competing with American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla in the robotic taxi market.

These rapid advances in self-driving technology are an effort by these companies to find new growth drivers in the face of fierce competition in the electric vehicle industry.

At the 2026 China Auto Show, Chinese manufacturers showcased a series of AI-powered smart vehicles capable of autonomous operation in challenging traffic conditions, and announced plans to build a large-scale fleet of self-driving taxis.

Xpeng, Volkswagen's partner in China, says it is equipping its entire electric vehicle lineup with robotaxi-level autonomous driving capabilities and aims to launch autonomous vehicle services this year.

At the exhibition, the company introduced the GX, a 6-seater SUV with a starting price of approximately 399,800 RMB (equivalent to $58,000), featuring self-parking capabilities and the ability to operate in harsh conditions such as dense fog.

Xpeng founder He Xiaopeng claims that his company's "Vision-Language-Action" software system could surpass Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology by August.

Several robotaxi vehicles based on the GX model have undergone limited testing on the streets of Guangzhou. Xpeng is among a group of Chinese companies striving to leapfrog from Level 2 driver assistance technology (which still requires human supervision) to Level 4 – meaning vehicles can operate autonomously in most conditions.

Geely, one of China's largest automotive groups, has launched its first dedicated robotaxi, the Eva Cab. Geely's ride-hailing unit, Caocao, aims to deploy 100,000 self-driving taxis globally by 2030, directly competing with Tesla's Cybercab project.

Caocao is currently testing a robotaxi based on the Zeekr 9X model in Hangzhou.

By 2025, China will have approximately 4,500 robot taxis operating in pilot areas across nearly 10 cities. According to HSBC's forecast, this number could increase to 500,000 by 2030, equivalent to one-tenth of the total taxi population in the country.

Meanwhile, in the US, Goldman Sachs estimates there will be around 35,000 robotaxis by 2030 – significantly fewer than in China.

Tesla has begun production of the Cybercab and plans to test the service in several states this year, although previous targets have been delayed. The company is currently operating robot taxis using Model Y vehicles in some cities in Texas.

Competitor Waymo (owned by Alphabet) says it has deployed 3,000 robot taxis in 10 US cities, providing approximately 500,000 rides per week.

Despite technological advancements, automakers still face stringent regulations from Chinese authorities. Regulatory agencies have issued warnings requiring businesses not to exaggerate self-driving capabilities at auto shows.

Authorities require exhibitors to clearly distinguish between "driver assistance" and "fully autonomous driving" to avoid confusing consumers.

This move is a continuation of the marketing crackdown following last year's fatal accident involving a Xiaomi electric vehicle.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/robotaxi-cac-hang-xe-trung-quoc-truc-dien-thach-thuc-tesla-post1107185.vnp