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UK Robotaxi Race: Uber & Lyft Partner with Baidu
22 Dec
Summary
- Uber and Lyft will trial driverless taxis in London starting 2026.
- Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis will be used in the UK trials.
- Autonomous vehicle companies continue to expand globally, facing profitability challenges.
Uber and Lyft are expanding their autonomous mobility services through separate partnerships with Baidu Inc. Driverless taxi trials are scheduled to commence in London during the first half of 2026, with commercial operations expected by the end of that year. This move positions the ride-hailing giants for the future of urban transportation.
These UK trials are part of a broader global trend, with companies like Baidu, Weride, and Alphabet's Waymo leading robotaxi rollouts. Uber and Weride are already operating driverless services in Abu Dhabi and planning further expansion in the Middle East. Waymo has also initiated testing in London this month.
Uber exited its internal autonomous driving development in 2020, now focusing on collaborations. The company aims for driverless services in over 10 markets by the end of 2026. Lyft is similarly partnering with Baidu for European robotaxi deployment, signaling a shift towards shared autonomous technology development.
