Chinese language tech big Baidu has began testing autonomous autos in London as a part of its partnership with Lyft and Freenow, the German taxi and multi-mobility app that Lyft now owns. Baidu is the newest in a string of firms to check self-driving expertise within the UK forward of economic robotaxi deployments.
The testing, which started Tuesday with human security operators, comes almost a 12 months after the 2 firms struck a strategic partnership to deploy Baidu’s purpose-built Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi throughout key European markets via the Lyft platform. The autos will finally be out there via Freenow, which Lyft acquired in 2025 for about $197 million.
That deal gave Lyft a foothold in Europe’s ride-hailing market, the place a handful of well-funded firms at the moment are jockeying to be first to market with robotaxis.
London is explicit is shaping as much as be a key battleground within the area. In April, Waymo started testing its autonomous autos with human security operators within the metropolis. Uber and its self-driving tech accomplice, Wayve, additionally introduced plans to launch a robotaxi service in London this 12 months. That preliminary service — which clients can now join on an curiosity record — can have human security operators behind the wheel earlier than totally driverless operations start later.
Baidu and Freenow by Lyft (because the latter service is now referred to as) stated they anticipate to ask the general public to hail their robotaxis in 2027. The businesses, which didn’t present a extra detailed timeline, famous that the launch will rely on regulatory approval.
For now, dozens of take a look at autos will function inside London’s borough of Brent. Lyft and Freenow stated they proceed discussions with security and metropolis officers, together with Transport for London (TfL) and the Centre for Linked and Autonomous Autos (CCAV). The UK authorities is within the course of of making autonomous automobile rules and opened purposes in Might for firms focused on an AV pilot program that lets firms take a look at self-driving autos beneath authorities oversight.
When the service does launch, Freenow by Lyft stated it should function a hybrid community — using the identical language rival Uber has used — which means human drivers working taxis and private-hire autos will work alongside the robotaxis.
“As a platform with deep roots within the taxi business, our precedence is guaranteeing that autonomous expertise helps the skilled drivers who hold London transferring,” Thomas Zimmermann, CEO of Freenow by Lyft, stated in a press release.
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