Joint efforts essential for self-driving industry

Collaboration between firms globally is vital for the future success of the autonomous driving industry, and governments should take an active role, say several key Chinese players in the sector.

Both traditional vehicle makers, such as Toyota, BMW, Audi and Volvo, and tech giants including Apple, Intel, Uber and Baidu, have collectively pumped billions of dollars into driverless vehicles, in an attempt to advance the technology, test safety, and bring commercial products to the market.

It's too early to determine who the winners will be, said Tony Han, CEO of JingChi, a Chinese startup that specializes in AI technology and robotics. Since being established in 2017, the firm has grown to have offices in Guangzhou, Beijing, Anqing, and Sunnyvale, California.