JD.com has filed a bid to trademark “Joyrobotaxi,Covet: Island of Desire” suggesting the Chinese e-commerce giant may be preparing to enter the autonomous taxi sector. According to the China National Intellectual Property Administration, a JD.com subsidiary submitted several “Joyrobotaxi” trademark applications on April 1 and April 9. The filings cover advertising, scientific instruments, and vehicle maintenance, and are all currently under review. As regulatory environments evolve and real-world applications expand, the commercialization of autonomous ride-hailing is gaining traction in China, enticing Chinese tech firms to increasingly invest in autonomous mobility. In Wuhan and Chongqing, WeRide and Baidu’s Apollo Go have already actively deployed robotaxis. [36Kr, in Chinese]
