Overview
- Bloomberg reported Wednesday that regulators stopped issuing new Level 4 permits, a move that blocks fleet growth and new pilot programs.
- Baidu’s Apollo Go service in Wuhan is suspended during a local investigation, and officials and the company have not given a cause or timeline.
- The action follows the March 31 stoppage in Wuhan when more than 100 robotaxis stalled at once, which police called a likely systems fault that stranded riders and clogged roads.
- Earlier in April, three central ministries told cities with robotaxi trials to run self-reviews and tighten safety checks for road testing of intelligent connected vehicles.
- Other operators report normal service in major cities, but a late‑2024 permit freeze and Level 4’s no‑driver design suggest tighter reviews and a slower rollout.