Twenty Xiangdao Robotaxis are ready for passengers at the experiencing center in Jiading district. [Photo/WeChat account: sh-jiading]

The first batch of 20 autonomous vehicles Xiangdao Robotaxi, which is powered by SAIC Motor, was officially put into operation on Dec 8. Its experiencing center recently opened to the public in Jiading district.

People can enjoy a free trial of the Xiangdao Robotaxi by using an app called "Xiangdao Chuxing" on their cell phones.

Currently, the Xiangdao Robotaxi mainly offers services from 8 am to 10 pm every day in Anting town.

There are 33 recommended pick-up stops for travel involving daily commuting, business trips, and entertainment.

There are three radars on the top of each vehicle to detect the surrounding environment that output real-time images, a worker at the Xiangdao Robotaxi experiencing center said.

Two interactive touch screens have been installed in the back seats of the vehicle to show passengers their routes in real time.

"It is true self-driving, and operations such as the pick-up point, lane changing and traffic light recognition are very smooth," a passenger who had a free trial in the Xiangdao Robotaxi said.

The Xiangdao Robotaxi is a major achievement for SAIC Motor's development, which integrates electrification, intelligent network interconnection, and sharing, said Chen Demei, vice-president of SAIC Motor.

According to the plan, Xiangdao Robotaxis will be increased to 40 and another 20 will be launched in Suzhou by the end of this year. SAIC Motor also plans to form a commercial Robotaxi fleet by 2025.