Baidu Apollo, already a China’s household name in unmanned eco-cars, was recently issued an IATF 16949: 2016 quality management system certification, earning the company the right to become global mainstream auto parts and components supply chain. The certification was issued by internationally-recognized standard certification body, TV NORD North Germany.
The certification opens the doors for Baidu to become a supplier to original equipment manufacturers and for its self-driving suite to gain entry into the global auto parts and components supply chain. The development forms the foundation for the mass production of Apollo car regulations. The certification from TV NORD come hot on the heels of Huawei MDC Intelligent Driving Computing Platform, Baidu’s main rival in self-driving platforms in China, obtaining the ISO 26262 functional safety management certification only two weeks ago.
The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) is the major agency created in 1996 by global mainstream car manufacturers and associations to standardize international automotive quality system specifications. IATF 16949: 2016 is the agency’s latest quality management certification standard. Sources say that the Baidu Apollo self-driving kit, small-scale OS, and high-definition maps have all garnered vehicle level certifications including IATF 16949, ISO 26262 and ASPICE.
Baidu Apollo held its first Ecological Conference last December. The occasion was timed to the release of two major open platforms in car-road collaboration and smart car association. Presently, Baidu Apollo has obtained 150 automatic test licenses. Its self-driving taxis developed alongside FAW Hongqi are now undergoing trial operations in Changsa, China with plans of covering 135 kilometers of open road this 2020. The autonomous taxi deployment will also cover Xiong’an New District and Cangzhou, Hebei.
