Chinese technology company Baidu has initiated autonomous vehicle testing in London, marking the latest move in an increasingly competitive race to bring self-driving taxi services to European streets. The testing, which began on Tuesday, is being conducted with human safety operators behind the wheel and forms part of Baidu's strategic partnership with Lyft and Freenow, the German multi-mobility platform that Lyft acquired in 2025.
The launch of testing comes nearly a year after Baidu and Lyft struck a partnership agreement aimed at deploying Baidu's purpose-built Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi across key European markets through the Lyft platform. The vehicles are ultimately intended to be made available through Freenow by Lyft, the rebranded service following Lyft's approximately $197 million acquisition of the company.
Baidu and Lyft's European Expansion Strategy
The acquisition of Freenow gave Lyft a meaningful entry point into Europe's ride-hailing market, where multiple well-funded companies are now competing to be the first to offer commercial robotaxi services. Baidu's Apollo Go RT6, a vehicle designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing, represents the Chinese firm's bid to establish a presence in the region's emerging self-driving transportation sector.
Baidu and Freenow by Lyft have indicated that they expect to invite members of the public to hail their robotaxis beginning in 2027. However, the companies have not provided a more detailed timeline, noting that the commercial launch will be contingent upon receiving regulatory approval. For now, dozens of test vehicles are operating within the London borough of Brent as the companies continue to refine their technology and work with local authorities.
London Emerges as a Key Robotaxi Battleground
London is rapidly becoming a central arena for autonomous vehicle development in Europe. In April, Waymo began testing its own autonomous vehicles in the city, also with human safety operators present. Uber and its self-driving technology partner Wayve have separately announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in London later this year. That service, which interested customers can already sign up for via an interest list, will initially operate with human safety drivers before transitioning to fully driverless operations at a later stage.
The convergence of major players in London underscores the city's strategic importance in the broader European autonomous mobility landscape. With multiple companies conducting tests and planning launches within a similar timeframe, the competition to establish market share is intensifying.