CHINESE car maker Baic has an ambitious plan for beating Apple and Google in the autonomous car business: take the driver out of the test drive.Baic Group will be the first company to let customers ride in driverless cars that are manoeuvring around each other, says Rong Hui, the executive overseeing the effort. This year, Baic will run as many as 10 electric cars on a course with features including traffic lights and faux landmarks such as housing and a hospital.Baic aims to showcase its autonomous vehicle know-how and give Chinese consumers a glimpse into the future of automotive technology.The company is seeking its place in a crowded niche that includes the world’s biggest car makers and technology companies such as Baidu.One of every 10 vehicles sold worldwide by 2030 may be fully self-driving, and China is pushing its car makers to develop that expertise to stimulate economic growth and maintain relevance against US and European rivals."Autonomous driving will be the top inves...

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