Shanghai (ZXZC)- Robin Li, president of Baidu, announced today that the company’s autonomous vehicle, co-developed with King Long will be mass produced in 2018. 

At the 2017 Baidu World Conference, held on November 16 in Beijing, Robin released the searching giant’s timetable on the production of autonomous vehicle. According to its plan, Baidu will cooperate with King Long to mass produce autonomous mini buses in July, 2018, ahead of other competitors. It will launch autonomous vehicles with JAC, BAIC in 2019 and with Chery in 2020.

Ever since Baidu opens up its Apollo autonomous platform in July, more than 6,000 developers gained access to the platform and over 1,700 partners have begun to use the open codes while more than 100 automakers join up.

In intelligent transportation, Baidu will partner with Xiongan to build the city a worldwide leader in intelligent travelling. What’s more, the company also has established cooperative relationships with many cities and districts in autonomous driving, intelligent city and other AI projects, such as Baoding, Wuhu and Shanghai Automobile City.