ASIA PACIFIC / SOCIETY

China's drivers worry as robotaxis pick up pace — and passengers

Taxis wait for fares outside the airport in Wuhan, China. Ride-hailing and taxi drivers are among the first workers globally to face the threat of job loss from artificial intelligence, experts say. | BLOOMBERG

BY SARAH WU AND ETHAN WANG

Wires
August 9, 2024

WUHAN – Liu Yi is among China's 7 million ride-hailing drivers.

A 36-year-old Wuhan resident, he started driving part-time this year when construction work slowed in the face of a nationwide glut of unsold apartments.

Now, he predicts another crisis as he stands next to his car watching neighbors order driverless taxis.