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Autonomous cars and drones are being deployed in China at a dizzying pace.

Autonomous cars and drones are being deployed in China at a dizzying pace.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The Economist

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A year ago, the city of Qingdao had just a handful of autonomous vehicles. Now it has more than almost anywhere else on earth.

One firm, Neolix, has put around 1,200 unmanned delivery vans on local roads; it hopes to have 4,000 by the end of the year. With several other autonomous taxi and food-delivery projects also under way, Qingdao exemplifies how rapidly artificial intelligence is transforming China. It is also the front line of the clash between unmanned vehicles and drivers.

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