This is the shocking moment a self-driving car halted unexpectedly after a motorist cut in.

Footage shows a man and a woman sitting in the passenger seats of the unmanned taxi in Hebei, China.

Moments later, a rider making a U-turn in their lane suddenly blocked the vehicle, causing it to stop immediately on July 2.

The sudden halt caused the startled passengers to lurch forward from their seats, jolted by the abrupt stop.

China has rapidly embraced self-driving cars as part of its push toward smart city technologies and autonomous transport.

Autonomous electric vehicles (EVs) are also viewed as a key solution to reduce carbon emissions and ease traffic congestion in densely populated urban centres.

However, incidents involving sudden stops and malfunctions have raised safety concerns among both the public and regulators.

On July 3, a robot car stopped on the trackway, causing traffic congestion and blocking a tram.