Jidu Robo-01 EV Coming In 2023 With Level 4 Autonomy And A $30k Price Tag

A few months after the official teasers, Chinese company Jidu unveiled its first concept: the Robo-01. Jidu showed three available colors called Star Porcelain White, Nebula Gray, and Galaxy Purple, all combined with a set of cool-looking black aero-shield wheels. Inside, the Jidu Robo-01 sports a wide high-definition screen on the dashboard, mirror-replacing cameras, a retractable yoke-style steering wheel that folds when not needed, a futuristic center tunnel with touch-sensitive areas, and four individual seats. At the moment, the highest level of autonomy in the market is Level 3 by Mercedes-Benz, so it is a big deal for a Chinese automaker to introduce Level 4, inching closer to a fully autonomous vehicle. In reality, the Jidu Robo-01 will be able to drive itself most of the time, with the driver supervising. Jidu hasn't given us the details about the SUV's electric powertrain, but we guess we will learn more as we get closer to the concept's debut in Guangzhou. Jidu's first EV will be joined by a second production model launching in the market in 2024.