Chinese rideshare juggernaut Didi Chuxing, or DiDi, announced this week that the firm spinning out its autonomous business unit into an independent company. The new autonomous driving company will focus on R&D, product application and business development related to autonomous driving technologies.
At the helm will be DiDi’s CTO Bo Zhang, who will now serve as CEO. Xing Meng, formerly of Shunwei China Internet Fund, will become COO while Zhaoyin Jia and Jianqiang Zheng will lead R&D.
“The new company looks forward to further strategic collaborations with auto makers and industry partners to promote the application of self-driving technologies in people’s everyday lives.”
“The new company looks forward to further strategic collaborations with auto makers and industry partners to promote the application of self-driving technologies in people’s everyday lives,” Bo Zhang said in a statement.
DiDi intends for this new autonomous driving company to benefit from the resources and technology of its ridesharing platform while doubling down on R&D and cultivating partnerships within the auto industry. The company also aims to be an ambassador of self-driving technology to transportation authorities and the general public. Safety will be a priority for this company as DiDi will take notes from its ride-hailing platform as it works in conjunction with transportation authorities to make the future of self-driving cars a safe one.
“Autonomous driving will greatly enhance the safety and efficiency of travel, and help cities to be smarter and more sustainable,” Wei Cheng, Chairman and CEO of DiDi, said in a statement. “Technology serves people; in the future, people’s transportation needs in different scenarios will be met by the combination of seamless autonomous driving technology and human driving services that are indispensable for their quality and warmth. Technology will be fully integrated with the ultimate goal of service.”
