Chinese tech giant Baidu has unveiled plans to deploy its autonomous robotaxis on the ride-hailing platform Lyft in Germany and the United Kingdom by 2026, pending regulatory approval.
The move signals a major step in Baidu’s push to expand its self-driving vehicle operations beyond Asia and the United States. The announcement was made in a joint statement by both companies on Monday.
The European rollout follows a similar agreement Baidu reached last month with Uber to introduce robotaxis across Asia and the Middle East, underscoring the firm’s ambition to become a global leader in autonomous mobility.
Baidu’s driverless fleet, operating under its Apollo Go brand, is expected to grow to thousands of units across Europe in the coming years. However, no specific timeline or list of additional countries has been disclosed, and both companies acknowledged that regulatory approvals remain a key hurdle.
At present, Baidu operates autonomous taxis in select cities in China and the United States. In Wuhan alone, more than 500 robotaxis are active within geo-fenced areas, while Shanghai recently granted permits for the expansion of driverless operations in its Pudong district.
China’s leading tech firms and car manufacturers are investing heavily in intelligent driving technologies, viewing autonomous mobility as the next major battleground in the automotive industry.
Baidu is among the industry frontrunners but faces growing international competition.
WeRide, another prominent Chinese autonomous driving firm, has launched operations in the Gulf and is currently leading a pilot project in Switzerland. Pony.ai, meanwhile, partnered with Uber in May to launch driverless taxis in a key Middle Eastern market later this year.
Lyft has also been ramping up its European presence. In April, the San Francisco-based company acquired German taxi app Freenow, in what it described as its most significant international expansion to date.
As Baidu and Lyft prepare to bring driverless cars to European streets, the race to dominate the autonomous transport sector continues to intensify—fuelled by rapid innovation, cross-border partnerships, and strategic ambition.
