SHENZHEN -- The southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen has for the first time launched a pilot autonomous taxi service for the public.

Shenzhen-based company DeepRoute said its robotaxi program is available to the public starting Monday, making it the first company to provide this type of service in Shenzhen.

The company worked with the Futian district government to deploy 20 self-driving taxis in the city.

DeepRoute said the vehicles have nearly 100 pick-up and drop-off points, including popular landmarks and COVID-19 vaccination centers, with the service covering over 200 km of public roads in Shenzhen.

The taxis are free of charge and open to people aged over 18 through an application process on DeepRoute's official WeChat account.