Baidu’s robotaxi division, Apollo Go, is reportedly considering an expansion into new markets such as Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.
Halton Niu, who heads the overseas business for the division, revealed in a Bloomberg TV interview that the company is currently in discussions with local governments to introduce its robotaxi services.
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Niu said: “For the Middle East and Europe, we’re talking with different local governments. As of today, we’re only deploying in several cities there.
“Beyond that, we’re talking with governments in Southeast Asia and also Australia.”
The division has recently made progress in Dubai, obtaining 50 new licences for autonomous driving trials from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which will allow it to increase its fleet in the UAE to about 100 cars.
Niu noted Apollo Go’s operational profitability in various Chinese cities is fuelling the push for broader deployment of robotaxis.
The executive pointed out that while certain vehicles are profitable, the division is yet to reach overall profitability.
Niu also addressed potential concerns in Europe regarding data privacy, assuring that all data collected would be stored within local jurisdictions, and mentioned the establishment of a Swiss-based entity for Apollo Go’s operations in Europe.
Chinese autonomous vehicle (AV) companies seeking to grow their operations globally, especially in regions receptive to advanced technologies, Bloomberg said.
The affordability of Chinese vehicles, supported by a strong domestic electric vehicle supply chain, has been a key factor in their international competitiveness.
Baidu has been investing in autonomous driving technology since 2013, deploying over a thousand vehicles both domestically and abroad.
The tech giant has plans to introduce its services in Europe through a partnership with Lyft, starting with the UK and Germany, pending regulatory consent.
Additionally, Baidu has partnered with Uber Technologies to deploy Apollo Go AVs on Uber’s platform in various international markets, with the exclusion of mainland China and the US.
