A giant catfish enters the Robotaxi track

Author | Wang Xiaojun

Editor | Chai Xuchen

CAOCAO INC has bigger ambitions in Robotaxi.

On December 3rd, CAOCAO INC announced a strategic upgrade in the Robotaxi sector. CEO Gong Xin announced the "Ten Years, One Hundred Cities, One Hundred Billion" strategic goal: over the next decade, establish five major operation centers globally, promote Robotaxi services to one hundred cities, and achieve a total transaction value of one hundred billion.

Specifically, CAOCAO INC elaborated on the "three-step" strategy for Robotaxi for the first time: the initial phase focuses on technology validation and small-scale testing operations; the current phase will complete the transition from a safety driver to unmanned operations and explore a mixed operation of manned and unmanned driving; in the future, commercial operations will be conducted globally with fully customized Robotaxi models.

Gong Xin stated that in the Robotaxi 2.0 phase, CAOCAO INC will further enhance the automated operation capabilities of large-scale fleets, launch a remote safety service platform, and fully apply a digital asset management system, deeply integrating operational advantages with smart cockpit and intelligent driving technologies to achieve a closed loop of unmanned Robotaxi operations.

Currently, CAOCAO INC positions its strategy as a "smart customized vehicle + intelligent driving technology + intelligent operation" integrated development model.

This model integrates Geely Holding Group's complete vehicle R&D and manufacturing capabilities, CAOCAO INC's own operational platform data accumulation, and the intelligent driving technologies of ecological partners, forming a closed loop of all elements for Robotaxi.

At the same time, CAOCAO INC has begun to practice future urban transportation hubs, with the world's first "green intelligent passage island" officially put into use.

An Conghui from Geely Holding Group stated: "CAOCAO INC is not only a technology mobility platform under Geely Holding but also the most important carrier for achieving the commercialization of Robotaxi."

The green intelligent passage island is not just a simple charging station or parking lot, but a forward-looking construction of future urban transportation infrastructure. This hub integrates functions such as automatic battery swapping, automatic cleaning, vehicle interior organization, intelligent scheduling, and automatic settlement.

It is noteworthy that the passage island has reserved eVTOL takeoff and landing pads and charging interfaces, laying the foundation for a future "integrated air-ground" transportation network. CAOCAO INC has developed replicable construction standards for this purpose, planning to promote it in future cities.

Shenzhen Yuejiang Technology's humanoid robot Atom has already been deployed as one of the first "smart employees" at the "green intelligent passage island," taking on roles such as welcoming guests and Robotaxi operation and maintenance. This reflects the innovation of the passage island in automated operations.

The green intelligent passage island will achieve seamless connections between Robotaxi and VoFly eVTOL, with full-area communication coverage and high-precision positioning data broadcasting provided by the Time-Space Road Universe low-orbit satellite network, jointly constructing a "space-ground-air integrated" travel blueprint It is worth mentioning that recently, CAOCAO INC and Qianli Zhijia signed a strategic cooperation agreement, and both parties will deepen their cooperation in the Robotaxi field, jointly accelerating the large-scale application and commercialization of intelligent driving technology, which will further enhance CAOCAO INC's competitiveness in the Robotaxi sector.

Currently, the Robotaxi market is transitioning from the "technical feasibility verification" stage to the "replicable commercialization expansion" stage. Industry data shows that the commercialization inflection point for Robotaxi has arrived, entering the profit-making phase.

In addition, major players are also accelerating their global layout. Waymo currently operates a fleet of about 1,500 vehicles in four cities in the United States and plans to add another 2,000 vehicles by 2026. Players like CAOCAO INC are also making moves in Abu Dhabi.

It is evident that competition in the Robotaxi industry has surpassed mere algorithms or hardware, entering a stage of comprehensive competition involving smart customized vehicles, driving technology, and operational systems.

Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2035, the market size of China's Robotaxi market will reach $47 billion. Gong Xin expects that by 2035, there will be 1.9 million Robotaxis operating in China, with a market size exceeding 320 billion yuan.

Cost control has become the key to profitability. CAOCAO INC has reduced the average TCO (total cost of ownership) of its customized vehicles by 36.4% compared to typical pure electric vehicles in the market through customized vehicles and vehicle service solutions. This cost optimization capability is crucial for large-scale commercialization.

The timeline for profitability is also becoming clearer. Pony AI CEO Peng Jun has stated, "The profitability point is around 2028 or 2029."

Globally, more than 1,500 Robotaxis are already providing driverless services on the streets of different cities. The three forces of technology, policy, and market are driving Robotaxi from science fiction to reality.

With traditional car manufacturers, technology companies, and mobility platforms collectively ramping up their efforts, a competition for dominance in future mobility has already begun