Lyft has partnered with Chinese technology company Baidu to deploy Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) across Europe. The AVs will be available through the rideshare giant’s platform, and Lyft will also become Baidu’s first European rideshare partner.
Just last month, Baidu announced a partnership with Uber to launch its Apollo Go AVs to global markets outside of the United States and China, namely Asia and the Middle East.
Lyft and Baidu said their partnership “marks a transformative milestone in Baidu’s international expansion and further positions Lyft as a leading AV platform in Europe.” The first robotaxis will be deployed in Germany and the United Kingdom next year “pending regulatory approval,” with thousands of Baidu Apollo Go’s RT6 AVs deployed across Europe in the following years.
Subscribe to our newsletter below
Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu, called the partnership “a significant milestone in our global journey.”
“This collaboration represents our commitment to making autonomous mobility accessible worldwide while working with local partners who understand their communities. 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,” Li said.
Currently, Apollo Go operates approximately 1,000 AVs in 15 cities globally.
"Our partnership with Baidu is all about creating a great customer experience. Their extensive track record operating the world's largest autonomous ride-hailing service means we can bring all the benefits of AVs—safety, reliability and privacy—to millions of Europeans," said David Risher, Lyft CEO.
“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.”
In April, Lyft established its presence in Europe when it acquired Germany-based mobility provider FreeNow for €175 million. Lyft’s operations were previously exclusive to the U.S. and Canada, but the acquisition marked the company's entry into the U.K., Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Poland, Ireland, France and Austria.