Chinese robotaxi companies are shifting to less advanced but more commercially viable smart-driving solutions, as funding dries up and losses continue to mount
Rita Liao / TechCrunch : X: @jenniferxie12 , @siddkhastgir , @tombamonte , and @ritacyliao X: @jenniferxie12 : 1/6 First, all roads lead to Rome. Second, find a way. Finally, build a following. Who will be the crown jewel(s) of China's self-driving (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)? No matter what the answer is, the country remains the biggest beneficiary (Q5). https://techcrunch.com/... @siddkhastgir : Fate of robotaxi ventures are the same be it the US or in China. Issue is not that it is a hard problem (we all know that). Issue is that it was sold as a near-term future which isn't (& will not) be realised in a profitable manner in next 3-4 years... https://techcrunch.com/...... Thomas Bamonte / @tombamonte : “China's robotaxi trailblazers have yet to prove that their new monetization models work. As funding dries up and losses continue to accumulate, the next year will likely be a make-or-break time for their self-driving dreams.” https://techcrunch.com/... Rita Liao / @ritacyliao : My last story of 2023: China's robotaxi darlings realized that the mass commercialization of self-driving taxis is still a distant reality, so they found quicker ways to monetize: supply ADAS to OEMs, building robo street cleaners for cities, and more https://techcrunch.com/...