Uber and Lyft partner with Chinese tech giant Baidu to begin robotaxi trials in the UK in 2026



Uber and Lyft, two ride-hailing and delivery services, have announced that they will partner with

Baidu , a major Chinese tech company that operates search engines, to launch a robotaxi service in London from 2026. Test operations will begin in the first half of 2026.

Uber and Lyft plan to bring robotaxis to London in partnerships with China's Baidu - Washington Times
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/dec/22/uber-lyft-plan-bring-robotaxis-london-partnerships-chinas-baidu/



Chinese robotaxis to launch on UK roads in 2026 as Uber supports self-driving car rollout
https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/chinese-robotaxi-uk-roads-uber-lyft-london

Baidu also operates the search engine of the same name, the app Shimeji , which allows users to customize the keyboard design, as well as the robotaxi service Apollo Go in China.



Uber , an American company that provides ride-sharing and food delivery services, has been focusing on the development of self-driving technology since around 2015, and launched its robotaxi service, ' uberX ,' in December of the same year. However, following an incident in which an UberX vehicle struck and killed a woman, and Waymo suing Uber for 'stealing trade secrets,' Uber announced in 2020 that it would sell its self-driving car business, 'Advanced Technologies Group (ATG),' to Aurora Innovation, a startup founded by a former lead engineer for Google's self-driving car development project. After selling the division and withdrawing from self-driving technology development, Uber has been working on a robotaxi business in partnership with other companies since around 2022, rather than developing it in-house.

Uber has announced that it will partner with Apollo Go to participate in the UK government's planned 2026 robotaxi service pilot program.




Similarly, California-based robotaxi platform Lyft has announced a partnership with Baidu to begin testing robotaxi in London. Lyft announced in September 2025 that it would partner with Baidu to deploy self-driving cars across Europe, and will enter the UK in 2026 as part of a government project.

Lyft CEO David Risher said: 'Pending regulatory approval, we plan to begin testing our first vehicle fleet in 2026 with a few dozen cars, expanding to hundreds over time. Our hybrid network of autonomous vehicles and drivers will serve all of London's mobility needs. We are working closely with Transport for London, regulators and local communities to grow the ridesharing market and create more opportunity for everyone.'




Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu, described the expansion into Europe as 'an important milestone in our global expansion.'

Baidu's entry into the UK follows the UK government's announcement that it will approve trials of self-driving vehicles in taxis, hire cars and buses. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the plan as 'a statement of confidence in the UK's autonomous driving ambitions,' adding: 'We plan to use this technology safely and responsibly to transform transport, with the UK's first robotaxi carrying passengers from the spring as part of a pilot scheme.'




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