Chinese internet giant Baidu has announced plans to roll out its autonomous robotaxis on the rideshare platform Lyft in Germany and the United Kingdom by 2026, pending regulatory approval. The move marks a significant step in Baidu’s global expansion in the self-driving car market, according to a joint statement released by both companies on Monday.
This European initiative follows a similar deal Baidu reached last month with Uber to deploy robotaxis across Asia and the Middle East, signalling the company’s ambition to lead the global autonomous driving sector.
Baidu’s fleet of driverless vehicles, branded under Apollo Go, is expected to expand to thousands of units “in the following years” throughout Europe. However, the companies have not disclosed specific timelines or additional countries where the vehicles might be launched, nor have they provided details on the pace of regulatory approvals required to begin operations.
Currently, Baidu’s robotaxis operate on a limited scale in China and the United States. In Wuhan, for instance, over 500 driverless taxis are active and can be hailed via an app within designated zones. Shanghai’s Pudong financial district also recently granted permits to several firms to expand their autonomous vehicle operations.
China’s major tech firms and automakers have invested heavily in intelligent driving technology, seeing it as the next frontier in the highly competitive automotive industry. Baidu is among the frontrunners, but it faces stiff competition from other Chinese players also seeking global exposure.
WeRide, another leading autonomous driving company, has expanded its presence to the Gulf region and was selected in January to lead a pilot project in Switzerland. Similarly, Pony.ai announced in May a partnership to launch self-driving taxis with Uber in a key Middle Eastern market later this year.
Meanwhile, Lyft has been making strategic moves to strengthen its footprint in Europe. In April, the San Francisco-based company acquired German taxi app Freenow, a deal it described as its “most significant expansion outside North America.”
As Baidu and Lyft prepare to bring driverless vehicles to European roads, the race for dominance in the autonomous transport sector continues to accelerate—driven by innovation, strategic partnerships, and global ambition.
