Baidu joins forces with Uber to roll out robotic taxis worldwide
In a significant move towards global expansion, Chinese tech giant Baidu has announced plans to launch its autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, in various international markets. The company has partnered with Uber to deploy thousands of its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform, excluding the US and China.
The initial rollout of Apollo Go's robotaxi service is expected to take place in select cities across Asia and the Middle East by the end of 2025. Baidu also has its sights set on Singapore and Malaysia, with discussions ongoing to explore suitable business models for these markets.
The partnership between Baidu and Uber aims to increase the supply of affordable and reliable ride-hailing options. Uber users will be able to request rides in Apollo Go's autonomous vehicles directly through the Uber app. Following the initial rollout, the service is planned to expand to additional international markets, further enhancing global accessibility to autonomous mobility solutions.
Robin Li, Baidu's co-founder, chairman, and CEO, stated that this partnership represents a major milestone in deploying Baidu's technology on a global scale. The collaboration aims to integrate Baidu's autonomous vehicles into Uber's extensive network to increase shared mobility options.
Baidu's Apollo Go has already made significant strides, with over 11 million rides accumulated and service coverage expanded to 15 cities as of May. The company's global robotaxi fleet has reached 1,000 vehicles.
Notably, Apollo Go was approved to conduct designated passenger testing on open roads in Hong Kong, its first right-hand drive market, in April. Baidu has also made inroads in the Middle East, with launches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in March, and road validation tests beginning in Dubai in May.
The latest company to enter into such a partnership with Uber is Baidu, following WeRide's partnership in September 2024. Baidu is also establishing a local company in Switzerland for its Apollo Go robotaxi service, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on May 14.
As the autonomous mobility landscape continues to evolve, Baidu's Apollo Go is poised to play a significant role in shaping this future, offering affordable, reliable, and sustainable transportation solutions to users worldwide. Uber passengers will be able to choose to complete their trips using fully driverless Apollo Go autonomous vehicles once deployed. The partnership between Pony AI and Uber, another Chinese autonomous vehicle company, is expected to launch in a key market in the Middle East later this year and plans to expand to more international markets in the future.
- Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, will be introduced in various international markets beyond Asia and the Middle East, aiming to increase global accessibility to autonomous mobility solutions.
- In a strategic partnership, Baidu and Uber aim to deploy thousands of Baidu's autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform in markets outside of the United States and China.
- The technology-driven partnership between Baidu and Uber seeks to integrate Baidu's autonomous vehicles into Uber's extensive network to increase shared mobility options.
- Uber users can request rides in Apollo Go's autonomous vehicles directly through the Uber app, with service planned to expand to additional international markets after the initial rollout.
- Baidu's Apollo Go has already made significant progress, with over 11 million rides accumulated and service coverage expanded to 15 cities as of May, with a global fleet of 1,000 vehicles.
- In a bid to expand its presence, Baidu is establishing a local company in Switzerland for its Apollo Go robotaxi service, following WeRide's partnership with Uber in September 2024, also aiming to reshape the future of transportation with affordable, reliable, and sustainable solutions.
