We used to be baffled to see KITT from Knight Rider interact like a human being with Michael Knight. Well, that bit is becoming a reality, sort of. Baidu is the Google equivalent for China, and they have ambition beyond the world of search engines and cloud computing. One of which involves making AI-enabled cars. Baidu and Geely have joined hands to make their futuristic dreams a reality with JIDU. This is a new car company aimed at developing and manufacturing smart EVs.
Baidu holds 55 percent of the stake whereas Geely has 45 percent. JIDU has unveiled its first car - the ROBO-01. And just as the name suggests, it truly is a robocar. This AI computer on wheels uses two Nividia chipsets and a Qualcomm processor to run its physical brain. The ROBO-01 concept is said to be 90 percent production-ready, and we are stroked by how it looks. JIDU, of course, has deployed a crossover form factor, but the ROBO-01 is technically a high-riding hatchback.
And with what the automaker has in store, the JIDU ROBO-01's production model will be rather affordable for such a sophisticated package, with prices starting from an equivalent of $32,000. The buzz around this robocar is all about autonomous driving, and if things go well, the ROBO-01 will be the first car in the world with Level 4 autonomous driving tech. Artificial Intelligence is the talk of the future and the JIDU Robocar is sure to make all the tech-savvy 2022 electric cars look primitive!
Baidu and Geely have come together to create a real-life KITT from Knight Rider with the JIDU ROBO-01.
ROBO-01 Is A Futuristic Crossover With Lights That Talk
The Jidu Robo-01 shows its futuristic appeal quite vividly to the eyes. This crossover has a sleek and sporty design with emphasis put strongly on aerodynamics. The design is smooth, yet there is a level of sharpness that highlights each of its creases. The LED lighting game is strong and smart here. The front fascia gets sleek dual-LED headlamp pots with AI-induced pixel DRLs sprouting upwards and downwards.
These pixel lights along with the light bar help the robocar communicate with a person visually. The light bar sort of works as an audio visualizer like that seen when you activate Siri or Google Assistant on a smartphone. The pixel lights are used for a plethora of functions like charging indicators and even showing responses to commands, including "thumbs-ups!".
Elevating its aero-appeal are cool black aero-shield wheels and a retractable mid-spoiler at the rear. The rear LED lighting also gets the pixel treatment but is not as vocal as the front setup. While everything is so futuristic and digital, Jidu decided to go simple on the color options with just three on the table - Star Porcelain White, Nebula Gray, and Galaxy Purple.
Robocar Interior Gets A Gigantic Screen And Four Seats
Ingress and egress for the Robo-01 are quite lavish, thanks to the fusion of front scissor doors and rear suicide doors. The absence of a B-pillar it makes climbing in and out of this robocar a breezy affair. The cabin packs four individual seats that stay true to its "futuristic" angle. The seats are quite sporty and have a huggable construction with lights flowing through it, under the headrest.
The dashboard is technically a huge curved screen that houses the instrument cluster, the infotainment setup, and all other car functions including air-con and exterior feature controls. Either end of the screen also doubles up as rearview cameras. It gets a yoke-like steering wheel that can fold out completely when in the autonomous mode.
The brains behind all the computational power that stitches things together are backed by DuerOS artificial intelligence software which has an adaptive learning algorithm. The physical brain comprises a NIVIDIA Orin X chip and a Qualcomm 8295 processor. Both rows get a center console with touch-sensitive surfaces, most likely with window and seat controls.
JIDU ROBO-01 Cleverly Hides Its Autonomous Tech
Autonomous technology is the inevitable future for EVs and the Jidu Robo-01 packs the most sophisticated tech of them all. As of now, the only automaker that has got international approval for its level 3 autonomous technology is Mercedes-Benz. And if things go right, Jidu with its robocar will be the first automaker to be approved for level 4 autonomous tech.
The Robo-01 gets two pop-up Lidar sensors on either side of the bonnet. Each of these units packs 128 lasers and has a range of 656 feet. These two pop-ups coupled with twelve cameras, twelve ultrasonic radars, and five millimeter-wave radars provide heightened levels of accuracy with continuous scanning of the car surrounds when on the road.
The autonomous driving tech in this car will be backed by a custom version of Baidu's open platform developed with its tech buddies, called Apollo. Using machine learning and data accumulated from over 16.7 million miles of autonomous driving, Jidu plans of making its autonomous tech the most accurate and efficient one out there. Finally, Tesla Autopilot will have a prime competition.
The JIDU ROBO-01 Will Go On Sale In China By 2023
Jidu saying that the Robo-01 is almost production-ready has us all the more exciting. And we feel that the cool door situation and absence of the B-pillar constitute the remaining 10 percent of its concept part. This along with its powertrain layout will be unveiled at the Guangzhou Automobile Exhibition 2022 which is slated for November. Geely is all set to commence production of the ROBO-01 next year, with the initial deliveries going through by the third quarter of 2023.
Sources: Jidu, Jidu Weibo Channel