Robotaxi Outage in China Leaves Passengers Stranded on Highways

image via WIRED

April 1, 2026, 1:24 AM

• •Baidu robotaxis in Wuhan, China, experienced a widespread malfunction, causing them to stop operating and trap passengers.
• •Passengers reported difficulties reaching customer support and using emergency features.
• •The incident led to multiple collisions as other drivers reacted to the stopped vehicles.
• •Local police attributed the problem to a system malfunction, with an ongoing investigation.
• •The event raises safety concerns and questions Baidu's self-driving technology.

Baidu's robotaxis in Wuhan, China, experienced a widespread malfunction on Tuesday, causing numerous vehicles to freeze in traffic and strand passengers for extended periods. Passengers reported being stuck in the malfunctioning vehicles for up to 90 minutes, with some unable to reach customer support or use the emergency SOS button. The incident led to several accidents as other drivers struggled to avoid the stalled robotaxis, with local police attributing the issue to a system malfunction, which is still under investigation. This event raises safety concerns and casts a shadow on Baidu's self-driving technology, particularly in a city where it has an aggressive deployment strategy.

Read original article