Page 786 - AI for Good Innovate for Impact

AI for Good Innovate for Impact

2 Use Case Description

2�1� Description

China is home to 17 million people with visual impairments, the largest such population in the
world[1]. Nearly 50% of them (7.8 million) venture out weekly, yet only around 3 million -less
than 18% of the visually impaired population - can navigate without assistance.

In their daily travels, the visually impaired community face multiple challenges including:

• Complex urban environments: Differences in car door handle heights and opening
mechanisms make it difficult to locate and open doors accurately.
• In-vehicle inconvenience: Simple tasks like adjusting the air conditioning or playing
music often require assistance, while exiting the vehicle poses safety risks due to difficulty
detecting approaching vehicles or pedestrians.
• Severe guide dog shortage: With just 200 certified animals for 17 million visually impaired
individuals - is compounded by persistent access denials on public transport, leaving even
these rare mobility aids underutilized

Committed to its social responsibility of making travel simpler for everyone, Apollo Go, the
company’s autonomous ride-hailing service platform (robotaxi), has launched the Accessibility
Initiative, inviting visually impaired individuals to join a long-term development program for
accessibility features[2]. The platform has introduced measures such as free rides for the visually
impaired, automatic Bluetooth unlocking, and improved voice interaction features.

Apollo Go has rolled out a special “Accessibility Care” feature tailored to the needs of visually
impaired passengers. Key Features of the Accessibility Care Mode:

• Intelligent Arrival Alerts: Upon arriving at designated pickup points, vehicles emit an
audible prompt—such as “Apollo Go has arrived”—to help visually impaired passengers
locate their ride.
• Zero-Contact Access: Bluetooth proximity sensing enables automatic door unlocking as
the passenger approaches, accompanied by a voice greeting that includes the license
plate number.
• Voice-First Control: After fastening the seatbelt, passengers can simply say “Let's go” to
close the door and begin their journey—no physical interaction required.

The integration of auto-location tracking, hands-free entry, and enhanced voice interaction
system further elevated the ride experience. Through real-time audio updates on the
surrounding environment, the system helps ensure greater independence and safety for visually
impaired passengers, making travel more secure and reassuring.

Use Case Status: The use case is in limited public rollout, with Accessibility Care features
deployed on a subset of Apollo Go vehicles for visually impaired passengers.

Partners: N/A

2�2 Benefits of the use case

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Apollo Go’s Accessibility Initiative demonstrates how
cutting-edge technologies—autonomous driving, Bluetooth proximity sensing, and voice-
activated controls—can be woven into transportation systems to deliver truly inclusive services. By
building these capabilities into its core platform and co-creating features with visually impaired

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