The first time Wang Juan rode in an Apollo Go, the driverless taxi designed by Chinese technology giant Baidu, she remembers feeling extremely nervous.

The 43-year-old had recently been hired as a safety operator for the company’s robotaxi division in Wuhan, capital of the central Hubei province, and was undergoing training in this emerging technology. Sitting in the passenger seat, she watched as the vehicle maneuvered without any assistance from her coach, who was in the driving seat. “He wasn’t even holding the steering wheel,” she exclaims. “I felt insecure.”

Gradually, after seeing these autonomous vehicles navigate unexpected and complicated traffic scenarios — such as decelerating to keep a safe distance from a large truck with protruding cargo and passing at an appropriate time — Wang began to feel more assured. “Even skilled human drivers might not be able to handle such procedures as smoothly,” she says.

Wuhan approved the rollout of Apollo Go robotaxis on its streets in 2022. Since then, the service has expanded from its initial pilot zone in the city’s southwestern Wuhan Development Zone to an area covering more than 3,000 square kilometers, with hundreds of robotaxis now serving the public at a cost of around 4 to 16 yuan ($0.50 to $2.00) for a 10-kilometer journey, considerably cheaper than standard ride-hailing services.

Critical to this project are the many safety operators, like Wang, whose responsibilities include observing how the vehicles perform before entering service and issuing remote commands when necessary to avoid obstacles or accidents. The various traffic conditions they encounter are recorded as data points, which Baidu programmers then enter into the taxis’ artificial intelligence system, helping it “learn” and evolve.

Drawn from the fields of driving instructors and examiners, ride-hailing services, former servicemembers, and vehicle quality inspectors, the Apollo Go safety operators are recruited for their extensive experience behind the wheel or knowledge of vehicle and road safety.

Before joining Baidu, Wang was a vehicle tester at a Sino-French automaker for 20 years. In 2018, the company began downsizing, with multiple employees laid off, reassigned, or relocated. Fearing the enterprise was in decline, Wang agreed to take voluntary redundancy.

After becoming interested in the emerging trend of autonomous vehicles, Wang decided to apply to join the Apollo Go team and passed the interview stage on her second attempt. She concedes she didn’t know what to expect from the job, thinking: “Is there a person behind the wheel? Do I sit in the car or work remotely?”

She discovered that there are several types of safety operators at the company. Some, like Wang, work inside the vehicle, sitting behind the wheel on safety tests to observe and intervene only in an emergency, while others work in a remote location, providing real-time monitoring of all in-service robotaxis.

In addition to checking on performance, during a vehicle’s test phase, safety operators need to carry out risk assessments and decide whether to manually direct the car away from potential hazards, such as during a forced lane merge, when another vehicle aggressively steers in front to create room, or avoiding the spray from a sprinkler truck.

“Autonomous cars need to be trained in real-life scenarios and practice their abilities to deal with various road risks,” Wang says. “In this case, the role of the safety officer is indispensable. When coming across specific conditions, we need to take control of the vehicle right away and record the situation. Every takeover is transmitted backstage as data for our programmers to optimize the autopilot system, so that the vehicle handles situations more like an experienced driver.”

Being able to enter an emerging industry in her 40s has already provided her with a sense of accomplishment. Despite widespread reports of sexism and ageism in the tech industry, Wang says she has felt no discrimination at Apollo Go and has only gained in confidence. She was recently elevated to team leader and earned praise for her patience, concentration, and diligence.

Almost everyone Wang knows has tried riding in a robotaxi, and she says she has witnessed a significant change in attitude as more people have begun using the service. However, while some family and friends commend her devotion to the technology, others remain skeptical of the safety protocols put in place for self-driving vehicles.

“People who question the strategy think it’s too prudent,” Wang says. “This is basically because it’s ‘safety first.’ The vehicles will stop to avoid hitting pedestrians who don’t follow the traffic rules, which might lead some to think they’re impeding traffic, but it’s for public safety. As robotaxis become better trained, they will be more human-like and advanced. We always joke about how crazy Wuhan drivers are, so if autonomous vehicles can work here in Wuhan, they can work anywhere.”

With the vast majority of accidents caused by errant drivers who travel at excessive speeds or cut off other motorists, “it shows humans are an unstable factor,” she adds. “In the next five or 10 years, if we can improve and popularize the technology, China’s traffic will certainly become better and safer.”

Changing attitudes

Li Cheng also knew nothing about the role of a safety operator before joining the Apollo Go program in June 2022, becoming one of its earliest recruits. He’d previously worked as a driving test examiner, was a stay-at-home dad for eight years, and drove for a ride-hailing app.

As autonomous driving was still a novelty in Wuhan, the 34-year-old’s family was not supportive of his decision to make a change, believing the trend was far-fetched and unrealistic. He admits even he was doubtful: “I thought, if it’s on autopilot, why do they need me there?” But he quickly found his experience as a driving examiner was well suited to the job. “Relatively speaking, our safety awareness, driving habits, and mental faculties are definitely better,” he adds.

After onboarding at the company, Li began testing robotaxis in the streets and alleyways of the Wuhan Development Zone, including during rush hours, and says he was often surprised by the smooth procedures the vehicles were able to carry out in complex traffic conditions. He jokes that working as a driving test examiner had made him much more nervous, “as occasionally I’d encounter some panicked student who might mistake the gas pedal for the brake, and I’d have to react immediately to intervene.” That doesn’t happen with autonomous vehicles, he says.

Although initially skeptical, his wife now regularly commutes to and from work in an Apollo Go. “She wouldn’t dare try it when the company first started giving us vouchers for the robotaxis,” Li says. “But once she got used to it, she didn’t want to choose any other form of transportation because of the lower prices, cleaner cabins, and more private environment” compared with traditional taxis and ride-hailing services.

Baidu began expanding its Apollo Go program in 2023, with more cars and greater coverage within the city. As a result, Li’s position was changed from “main driver,” which focuses on the vehicle’s functionality, to “road tester,” with more emphasis on traffic conditions. This role requires safety operators to have up-to-date and detailed knowledge of the road surfaces, traffic lights, roadworks, detours, and other factors in the expanded coverage area. “We need to eliminate unexpected driving conditions that may be encountered on the road, keep updating the system, and eventually make the autonomous cars truly driverless,” he says.

People working in the ride-hailing industry fear the technology will ultimately force them out of the taxi market, with the city government becoming inundated with complaints over its decision to approve the use of Apollo Go. However, while many still hold these concerns, others, like Li, have made the switch to become safety inspectors, citing the improved working conditions.

“When I was driving for a ride-hailing service, I used to work eight to 12 hours a day and make 200 to 300 yuan after subtracting the cost of fuel,” Li says. “Now my income is roughly the same, but the job is more stable. We have insurance, and we’re free after clocking out.”

From knowing nothing about autonomous driving to coaching new recruits, Li’s professional growth has stemmed from simple faith. “The development of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology is a trend around the globe,” he says. “I’m proud of and passionate about this job. As driverless technology becomes more mature, our role is indispensable.”

Reported by Li Jingjing.

A version of this article originally appeared in Beijing Youth Daily. It has been translated and edited for brevity and clarity, and is republished here with permission.

Translator: Eunice Ouyang; editors: Wang Juyi and Hao Qibao.