DiDi Launches Driverless Trials for Next-Gen R2 Robotaxi in Beijing and Guangzhou

On August 31, 2026, DiDi Autonomous Driving officially started fully driverless passenger service trials with its new R2 Robotaxi, a vehicle developed jointly with automaker GAC Aion. [1]

These autonomous vehicles are currently bookable directly via the standard DiDi App for users located in specific demonstration areas of Beijing and Guangzhou. [1]

The R2 utilizes Level 4 software and hardware, carrying a suite of 33 sensors that includes LiDAR, 4D millimeter-wave radar, and infrared cameras. [1]

The central computing platform delivers over 2,000 TOPS of GPU computing power, doubling sensor access capacity while reducing costs by 74 percent compared to the prior generation. [1]

Additionally, the vehicle incorporates a multi-layer redundancy system covering braking, steering, and power supply, and meets five-star safety standards under both C-NCAP and Euro NCAP. [1]

The launch of the R2 trials demonstrates DiDi's ongoing progress in commercializing Level 4 autonomous vehicles, specifically highlighting their capability to deploy in major urban centers like Beijing and Guangzhou. By securing a 74 percent cost reduction while increasing computational power to over 2,000 TOPS, DiDi and GAC Aion are addressing the critical hardware economics that often stall robotaxi scalability. This cost efficiency, paired with Euro NCAP safety standard compliance, positions the R2 as a platform designed for both domestic scale and potential international deployment. What the sources don't address: how the R2's passenger pricing or operational costs compare to traditional human-driven DiDi ride-hailing services in these demonstration areas.