Fatal braking failure in Huawei autonomous vehicle sparks safety concerns
A Huawei Aito autonomous vehicle was involved in a fatal accident in April 2024, with the company stating that the automatic braking system was not activated. The incident renewed safety concerns about autonomous vehicle technology, with a subsequent non-fatal pedestrian collision in Wuhan further heightening worries about the expanding robotaxi fleet.
What happened
An Aito vehicle made by Huawei was involved in a fatal accident in China in April 2024. The company indicated that the automatic braking system was not activated.
Reported impact
The incident renewed concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicle technology operating in China. A non-fatal pedestrian collision involving an autonomous taxi in Wuhan the following month further heightened safety concerns.
Index analysis
Wuhan hosts 500 autonomous taxis as part of Baidu's Apollo Go project, covering over 3,000 square kilometres—more than one-third of the city. The Apollo Go project received its first license to operate in Wuhan in 2022.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.