(Yicai Global) Aug. 6 -- Didi Chuxing, China’s biggest car-hailing firm, is taking the lead in preparing the world’s first operational and safety rules for the entry of self-driving taxis into the mass market, the 21st Century Business Herald reported today.

Other big players in the autonomous vehicle sector, such as Baidu, Tencent Holdings and BAIC Motor, as well as government departments, experts and research institutions are all contributing to the discussions, it added

The first meeting was held online two weeks ago, a participant told the newspaper. It discussed standards for the management of vehicles, passenger safety and requirements for test drivers.

Didi Chuxing, which has eight years of experience in online car-hailing operations, is in a better position than most to give advice and can compile a mass of data for simulation training, an industry insider said.

Robotaxis are already available along certain routes in some Chinese cities. Didi Chuxing has a fleet in Shanghai that it introduced in June. Tech giant Baidu runs a service in Changsha, central Hunan province and smart mobility firm WeRide operates in Guangzhou. Most services remain free during the trial period.

Last December, Beijing became the third city after Shanghai and Guangzhou to set out regulations for the testing of self-driving vehicles accompanied by a driver. However, these rules only refer to standards for the autos and their drivers and do not touch on the industry’s commercialization or how to keep riders and drivers safe on public roads, the insider said.

Editor: Kim Taylor