Baidu, China’s dominant search engine and artificial intelligence company, has mounted a rigorous defence of autonomous driving , pledging it will eventually be safer than conventional driving. Wei Dong, vice-president and chief operations officer of Baidu’s intelligent driving division, said that self-driving cars will eventually be safer than vehicles with people behind the wheel. “Autonomous driving will offer a safer and more reliable driving experience than human drivers,” he told a forum on future mobility in Shanghai on Saturday. “Still the tech cannot ensure that no accidents will occur.” The remarks, made during the China International Import Expo (CIIE), were…