• Baidu says “system malfunctions” caused several vehicles to stop without warning.
  • Dashcam footage shows a driver crashing into the rear of a stalled robotaxi ahead.
  • Multiple EVs were left stranded across lanes and shoulders of busy Wuhan highways.

Several self-driving robotaxis from Baidu’s Apollo Go found themselves at the center of a chain-reaction crash on Chinese highways earlier this week, a reminder that when these systems stumble, things can unravel fast. The incident has renewed scrutiny over how autonomous fleets respond to unexpected faults in real-world conditions, where edge cases are part of everyday driving rather than rare exceptions.

It has since been revealed that “system malfunctions” caused several of Baidu’s robotaxis to abruptly grind to a halt on highways in the city of Wuhan. Videos shared on social media show multiple vehicles stopped with hazard lights flashing, either in the middle of lanes or pulled awkwardly to the side, seemingly unable to respond.

Read: Baidu Officially Launches Robotaxi Service In Beijing After Getting The OK To Charge Fees

One dashcam video posted on Twitter shows a driver rear-ending a stranded robotaxi sitting in the center lane of a wide highway. According to the driver, there was no time to react, and the crash left his SUV with significant front-end damage.

Robotaxi Carnage

Video Weibo

At least two other collisions were reported that same day. In one case, a Baidu robotaxi was struck from behind by another vehicle. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the malfunctions also left numerous passengers trapped inside the robotaxis, adding another layer of concern beyond the crashes themselves.

Speaking with Wired, a local college student said she was stuck inside one of the vehicles for 90 minutes alongside two friends. The robotaxi reportedly stopped four or five times during the trip before coming to a halt near an intersection. The in-car display instructed them to keep their seat belts fastened, but it took 30 minutes to connect with a Baidu representative.

Several decades ago, cars were a relatively rare sight on Chinese highways as scooters, bicycles and motorcycles dominated. However, as the nation’s wealth has increased, local roads have become flooded with cars. I visited China last year and was stunned by how many rear-end collisions I saw on crowded highways. Add in fully-autonomous robotaxis that can seemingly ground to a halt at a moment’s notice, and you have a recipe for disaster.