(Yicai Global) July 8 -- Chinese internet giant Baidu is speeding up development of its smart vehicles and will have one ready in the next two to three years, founder Robin Li said today at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.

Some people think smart cars are like a computer on four wheels, but they will be more like robots, Li said, as autonomous driving technologies are improving.

“Robots can run faster than human beings and understand what people say,” he said. “Under these circumstances, you won’t need to drive to your farm to pick up apples by yourself. Your robot car will do all the work for you."

Beijing-based Baidu announced earlier this year it had partnered with Hangzhou-based automaker Geely to set up a new electric vehicle brand called Jidu, which will produce cars using Baidu's Apollo self-driving tech.

The company has started engineering development and is already working on automobile styling, Yicai Global learned.

Baidu’s self-driving tech is among the best in the world, Li said, adding that the firm recently partnered with Chinese electric automaker Arcfox on a new autonomous vehicle called Apollo Moon. The model is equipped with Baidu’s fifth-generation Apollo self-driving hardware, which has Level-4 capability, and aims to make mobility cheaper than online ride-hailing.

Baidu’s shared driverless vehicles will be available in 30 Chinese cities in two to three years, according to Li.

AI will undoubtedly be a transformative force affecting human development in the next 40 years, he said, noting that it will reshape transport, finance, energy and the media.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Tom Litting