Didi's Zhang Bo Discusses the Future of Autonomous Driving in the AI Era

[Technology Outlook] At the 2026 Smart Electric Vehicle Forum, Didi's Zhang Bo outlined the development roadmap for Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving.

Core Direction: Dual Drivers of Safety and Experience

Didi Autonomous Driving, founded in 2016, addresses the pain point of 1.35 million annual traffic fatalities worldwide, asserting that its technology has already proven safer than human drivers. It also envisions vehicles evolving into "mobile spaces" to enable seamless scenario transitions.

Strategic Foundation: Hybrid Network Cold Start

Through interviews with global experts, Didi concluded that the optimal path to L4 autonomy is to leverage its massive mobility platform to build a human-plus-autonomous hybrid network, initially deploying Robotaxi services.