Stockshots of driverless 'robotaxi' on the streets of Beijing. Fully driverless 'robotaxis' have started to operate in China’s capital city Beijing, with tech giant Baidu launching the vehicles on Tuesday. Such vehicles have already been on the road in China for several years. Until now in Beijing, an employee occupied the driver's seat to take over the wheel when required. Passengers can call for a robotaxi using an app on their mobile phones. They are then picked up by a brand-new SUV packed with electronics and sensors, and topped by a spinning radar. The vehicles are limited to a specific area on the outskirts of the city. They can be remotely controlled should the need arise, the company said. China's major tech players have launched autonomous vehicle projects in several cities. STOCKSHOTS