Baidu to test autonomous cars in California

Baidu, which earlier this year announced the formation of an autonomous driving team in the US, Baidu USA, is to begin testing its autonomous technologies in California.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles awarded the company an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit earlier this week. Baidu USA joins 14 other companies that are testing autonomous vehicles in California, including Google, Tesla Motors, Ford, Honda, Nissan, GM Cruise, Zoox and Drive.ai.

According to Jing Wang, SVP of Baidu and general manager of Baidu’s Autonomous Driving Unit, the company plans to start autonomous vehicle testing on California’s roads ‘very soon’.