London is about to become a testing ground for the next wave of autonomous mobility. Uber and Lyft are teaming up with Baidu to pilot Apollo Go, the Chinese tech giant’s fully electric, self-driving robotaxi platform, on the city’s streets in 2026. This is not just a test run, but part of a broader strategy to integrate driverless vehicles into mainstream ride-hailing. Notably, Baidu’s robotaxis have already logged millions of autonomous kilometers across Asia, and now they are heading to London to tackle one of Europe’s most challenging urban landscapes.
“Baidu Apollo Go operates the world’s largest autonomous ride-hailing service with over 17 million cumulative rides across 22 cities globally. It has logged over 240 million kilometers of autonomous driving, with over 140 million kilometers driven in fully driverless mode. And its weekly ride count surpassed 250,000 in October, all of which are fully driverless,” David Risher (CEO, Lyft) noted.
Uber is aiming to launch trials in the first half of 2026, while Lyft plans an initial fleet of several dozen vehicles, with potential to expand quickly pending regulatory approval. Both companies are signaling a strategic shift toward leveraging third-party autonomous technology rather than building their own systems from scratch. This approach allows them to accelerate deployment, reduce development costs, and focus on scaling operations in key markets.
The vehicles slated for London are Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 models, purpose-built for ride-hailing and fully electric. Unlike traditional vehicles retrofitted with self-driving hardware, these cars are designed from the ground up for autonomous operation, equipped with advanced AI, lidar, radar, and camera systems.
It is worth noting that London’s selection as a testing city is no accident. The UK has established one of the most advanced regulatory frameworks for autonomous vehicles in Europe. The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 clarifies legal responsibility for driverless systems, creating an environment that encourages innovation while maintaining public safety standards. Also, London’s complex road network, with its narrow streets, high pedestrian traffic, and unpredictable driving conditions, provides a challenging environment for testing autonomous technology.
Importantly, these trials also put Uber and Lyft in direct competition with other autonomous vehicle initiatives in the London area. Waymo (Alphabet’s self-driving car division) has already started testing driverless taxis in the city and plans to launch commercial operations in 2026. The move also highlights the global momentum behind autonomous mobility. For example, another Chinese AV company, WeRide, has also been active in testing and deploying its technology in Europe. In January 2025, the company conducted robotaxi pilot programs in Switzerland, and in February, it launched a fully driverless Robobus shuttle in France’s Drôme region. The global robotaxi market (worth $2.77 billion in 2024) is expected to surpass $150 billion by 2034.
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