Driverless taxis in China are no longer some future experiment — they’re already part of everyday life. People walk past these vehicles all the time, and they move through city traffic with impressive precision. It’s only a matter of time before this kind of technology becomes a common sight on streets around the world. The change is coming, and it’s hard to imagine anything stopping it.
Mr. Glušac was traveling through China when an autonomous taxi passed by him. The vehicle was moving without a driver and handling traffic with no trouble at all. He captured the moment on video, which you can watch below.
Meeting It in Traffic
While waiting at a traffic light, Mr. Glušac noticed an autonomous taxi driving past him and smoothly keeping pace with the rest of the city traffic. The vehicle passed by with no hesitation and no visible issues. At that moment, he recorded a video showing how it performs in real traffic conditions.
As the taxi went by, people on the street stopped to watch and filmed it on their phones. Some paused to take a closer look, while others kept going, clearly already used to seeing vehicles like this. There was no obvious fear or shock, which suggests that this kind of car has already become part of everyday life in this part of China.
The Technology Behind the Autonomous Taxi
An autonomous taxi uses advanced sensors and software to understand its surroundings, including LIDAR, cameras, and radar. These systems allow the vehicle to detect obstacles, read traffic signs, and react to changes in traffic without human input.
LIDAR is a sensor that uses laser beams to “see” the surrounding environment and build a 3D map of the space. It helps self-driving vehicles detect obstacles, other cars, and pedestrians so they can move safely and accurately without a driver.
This experience shows how far autonomous vehicle technology has come in China. Even though it is still in the testing phase, autonomous taxis are already operating in real traffic and slowly becoming part of everyday life. The video Mr. Glušac recorded gives a clear look at how this technology works in practice.
You can see this encounter and the video below:
Driverless taxi in China
For more stories like this from the streets of China, follow our website and YouTube channel. See how technology is changing everyday traffic and city life across China.