Chinese tech giant Baidu Inc is authorized to provide paid robotaxi services in Yangquan, North China's Shanxi province starting Sunday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Technical engineers recently tested self-driving vehicles before their official launch in the Baidu Apollo Park in Yangquan, North China's Shanxi province. 

As a demonstration operation base of networked vehicles and digital economy, the park built by Chinese internet giant Baidu Inc opened in the city on Feb 25. 

The park has 10 centers, including an autonomous driving and vehicle infrastructure system R&D center, remote big data cloud control center, intelligent network engineering technology center, and exhibition and experience center. 

Since its opening, Yangquan Baidu Apollo Park has provided operational guarantees for the city's multi-scenario autonomous driving services, driving the commercial operation of autonomous driving and the gathering of related industrial chains in the city, and establishing a benchmark for the application of autonomous driving and intelligent networking. 

Next, the park will further improve Baidu Apollo's autonomous driving and intelligent networking industrial chain in Yangquan so as to better serve the construction of the Smart Vehicle City.