Alibaba Invests in Hello to Enter China's Robotaxi Market

Alibaba has invested in Hello, a Chinese ride-hailing firm backed by Ant Group, marking a significant step into the robotaxi sector.

Announced on September 17, the investment will enable joint development of AI algorithms and smart driving technologies for commercial autonomous taxi fleets. Hello did not disclose the deal value but confirmed the collaboration will focus on improving vision, voice recognition, and intelligent cockpit systems for self-driving cars.

This investment positions Alibaba to compete in the rapidly evolving global robotaxi race, joining the ranks of Tesla, Alphabet’s Waymo, Baidu, Pony.ai, and WeRide. Baidu’s Apollo Go has already completed over 11 million rides worldwide, underscoring the sector’s growth potential.

Key Highlights

Alibaba invests in Hello to develop AI-driven robotaxi technology
Hello recently launched its first robotaxi, the Hello Robot1
Partnership aims to boost China’s position in the global autonomous taxi race

Hello recently launched its first robotaxi, the Hello Robot1, intensifying domestic competition. Earlier in 2025, Hello partnered with Ant Group and Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), raising 3 billion yuan (US$422 million) to fuel its autonomous driving ambitions.

Also Read: Uber & Baidu Partner to Launch Robotaxis in Asia & ME

The Alibaba–Hello partnership represents a strategic push to commercialize robotaxis in China by leveraging Alibaba’s AI and cloud computing capabilities with Hello’s ride-hailing experience. The move also reflects China’s broader ambition to lead in autonomous mobility solutions, with the goal of making robotaxis a scalable, profitable service in the coming years.