Didi Integrates Taxis with AEDs into Emergency Dispatch

Chinese ride-hailing company Didi is integrating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) from its vehicles into city emergency dispatch services. In partnership with the China Red Cross Foundation and Tencent's Goose Emergency Services open platform, Didi vehicles equipped with AEDs can now be quickly deployed by city 120 emergency numbers.

The initiative aims to reduce response times for cardiac arrest emergencies. Xi'an and Shenzhen have been selected as the first pilot cities. When a 120 dispatch receives a call for a cardiac arrest requiring an AED, the Tencent platform can identify and notify nearby Didi drivers with AEDs to proceed to the scene.

Didi plans to integrate a total of 130 volunteer vehicles into city emergency dispatch systems by the end of the year. Additionally, nearly 1,000 Didi service vehicles will be equipped with emergency response kits, and their drivers will receive certified first aid training.

This move seeks to establish a more robust mobile emergency medical response network within cities by leveraging existing taxi infrastructure. The program is expected to enhance public safety by providing faster access to life-saving equipment.