Passengers stranded as more than 100 self-driving taxis grind to a halt in Wuhan

A fleet of futuristic robotaxis turned into roadside statues overnight in China, after a mass system failure left vehicles frozen in the middle of busy roads, some with passengers trapped inside like actors in a sci-fi thriller that forgot its ending.

The incident unfolded in the central city of Wuhan on Tuesday evening, when more than 100 driverless taxis operated by Baidu’s Apollo Go service abruptly stopped mid-journey. Authorities described the cause as a “system malfunction,” though the precise trigger remains under investigation.

Passengers reported vehicles halting without warning, in some cases on high-speed ring roads with traffic continuing to rush past. Screens inside the cars displayed error messages assuring riders that assistance was on the way. For many, help did not arrive quickly.

One passenger described being stranded for over an hour on an elevated roadway, surrounded by heavy traffic and unsure whether it was safer to remain inside or attempt to exit the vehicle. Others made the same calculation, choosing to stay put rather than risk stepping into live traffic.

Despite the alarming scenes, and at least one minor collision, no injuries have been reported.

The breakdown marks a significant moment for China’s rapidly expanding autonomous vehicle sector. The country has been at the forefront of the technology, with Baidu operating hundreds of robotaxis in Wuhan alone and more than a thousand nationwide, alongside ambitions to expand into international markets.

However, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the reliability of systems that rely heavily on software and constant connectivity. Experts suggest the failure may have been linked to a technical or network issue, highlighting the vulnerability of vehicles that depend on centralised systems.

The episode has also underscored a broader challenge facing the industry. While autonomous vehicles are designed to reduce human error, they introduce a new category of risk, one where a single fault can affect an entire fleet simultaneously.

Regulators are now expected to examine the incident closely, with potential implications not only for China but for global markets considering wider adoption of driverless technology.

For passengers caught in the disruption, the promise of seamless, automated travel was briefly replaced by uncertainty, as the vehicles of the future came to an unexpected and very public standstill.