CaoCao Mobility officially launched driverless Robotaxi road testing on July 27 in Hangzhou's Binjiang District, with vehicles no longer equipped with human safety drivers. The company currently operates approximately 100 Robotaxis. As the primary commercialization vehicle for Geely Holding Group's Robox strategy, CaoCao is accelerating autonomous driving commercialization.
Hangzhou's First "Truly Driverless" Robotaxi Tests Begin
On July 27, CaoCao Mobility announced the official launch of driverless Robotaxi road testing. Test vehicles no longer carry human safety drivers. Testing is conducted on real urban roads in Hangzhou's Binjiang District using a station-based dispatching mechanism.
This was not CaoCao's first autonomous driving test permit. In April, CaoCao became the first company in Hangzhou approved to conduct intelligent connected vehicle road tests without safety operators.
Smart Operations Platform Provides Full-Chain Support
CaoCao Mobility has built its driverless operations on a complete smart operations system:
- Remote Safety Platform: All test vehicles are fully integrated into the "CaoCao Smart RAS Remote Safety Service Platform," serving as the cloud-based safety and operations hub
- Fleet Scale: Currently operates approximately 100 Robotaxis in Hangzhou
- Smart Mobility Island: Claims to operate the world's first "Green Smart Mobility Island," providing automated battery swapping, cleaning, and vehicle preparation
CaoCao advances autonomous driving through a "smart custom vehicle + smart driving technology + smart operations" model.
Key Piece of Geely's Robox Strategy
CaoCao Mobility is the primary commercialization vehicle for Geely Holding Group's Robox strategy. Geely's autonomous driving layout encompasses:
- OEM advantages: Multiple brands including Zeekr, Volvo, Lotus provide rich vehicle platforms
- Data accumulation: As a ride-hailing platform, CaoCao has massive real-world road operation data
- Ecosystem synergy: Collaboration with Geely's ECARX and Siengine Technology
In China's Robotaxi race, CaoCao faces competition from Baidu Apollo, Pony.ai, WeRide, and AutoX. Unlike pure tech companies, CaoCao's advantage lies in its operations DNA—it is already an established ride-hailing platform with user base, dispatch systems, and urban operation experience.
| Company | Core Advantage | Operation Model | Cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| CaoCao | Ride-hailing experience + Geely vehicles | Own platform | Hangzhou, etc. |
| Baidu Apollo | Deep tech accumulation | Open platform + self-operated | Wuhan, Beijing, etc. |
| Pony.ai | Leading L4 technology | Partnership operation | Beijing, Guangzhou, etc. |
| WeRide | Full scenario coverage | Partnership operation | Guangzhou, Nanjing, etc. |
Robotaxi Commercialization Outlook
CaoCao Mobility's driverless Robotaxi testing marks another milestone in China's autonomous driving commercialization. However, challenges remain:
- Regulatory framework: Currently only permitted in specific areas and time windows
- Technical reliability: Long-tail scenarios in complex urban environments remain difficult
- Business model: Per-vehicle profitability models are still being explored
For readers following China's intelligent driving industry, EX1000.COM provides the latest technology developments and market analysis.
