‘Robotaxi has reached a tipping point’: Baidu, Nvidia leaders see momentum as competition rises

BEIJING — Chinese robotaxi companies are expanding abroad at a faster clip than U.S. rivals Waymo and Tesla

— at a time when industry leaders say autonomous driving is finally near an inflection point.

“I think robotaxi has reached a tipping point, both here in China and in the U.S.,” Baidu

CEO Robin Li said Tuesday on an earnings call, according to a FactSet transcript.

“There are enough people who have [had the] chance to experience driverless rides, and the word of mouth has created positive social media feedback,” he said, noting that the wider public exposure could speed up regulatory approval.