US ride-hailing company Lyft has teamed up with China’s Baidu to deploy robotaxis across Europe, with plans to begin operations next year.
This collaboration marks Baidu’s first entry into the European self-driven taxi market.
Lyft will deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) on its platform across key European markets.
The initial rollout will take place in Germany and the UK, featuring Baidu’s electric RT6 robotaxis operating on Lyft’s platform, pending regulatory approval.
Baidu’s Apollo Go service currently operates over 1,000 vehicles across 15 cities globally and has completed more than 11 million rides.
The plan aims to scale to thousands of vehicles across Europe in the coming years, leveraging Lyft’s recent acquisition of European mobility app FreeNow.
This acquisition gave Lyft access to operations in nine countries and over 180 cities, marking its first expansion beyond North America.
Under the terms of the partnership, Lyft will manage the platform, overseeing customer services and fleet logistics, while Baidu will supply the autonomous vehicles and provide technical expertise.
The RT6 model is a fully-electric, purpose-built vehicle that incorporates the Apollo Autonomous Driving Foundation Model (ADFM).
Upon launch, customers will be able to book RT6 rides directly through the Lyft ecosystem.
Baidu CEO, chairman, and co-founder Robin Li said: “By integrating Baidu’s cutting-edge autonomous driving technology with Lyft’s platform reach and operational expertise, we’re excited to deliver safer, greener, and more efficient mobility solutions to more users.”
Lyft CEO David Risher stated: “Our partnership with Baidu is all about creating a great customer experience.
“It’s part of our hybrid network approach, where AVs and human drivers work together to provide customer-obsessed options for riders. And importantly, we’re committed to working hand-in-hand with local regulators to ensure we deploy these vehicles in their communities in a smart, thoughtful way that benefits everyone.”
Last month, Baidu and Uber Technologies announced that they would be deploying thousands of Apollo Go AVs on the Uber platform in various markets worldwide, excluding mainland China and the US.
