Uber and Lyft Partner with Chinese Tech Giant Baidu for UK Robotaxi Trials

Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. have announced collaborations with Chinese tech firm Baidu to conduct driverless taxi tests in the United Kingdom starting in 2026. The partnerships will integrate Baidu's Apollo Go RT6 vehicles into the ride-hailing platforms' London networks for public trials.

The trials follow Alphabet's Waymo beginning supervised tests in London and Wayve preparing unsupervised operations backed by $1 billion from SoftBank and Uber.

Baidu's expansion reflects a worldwide push in autonomous mobility, with the company also operating in the Middle East, Switzerland, and China. Cities like Austin, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, and Wuhan are emerging as key testing grounds.

Robotaxis offer prospects for safer, more sustainable transport, but economic viability remains uncertain. Firms like Baidu and WeRide report losses, with analysts noting high fleet costs could strain margins for platforms like Uber and Lyft. Hybrid models blending human-driven and autonomous services may prove more practical for managing demand fluctuations.

For Lyft, the UK trials support its international growth after acquiring European taxi app FreeNow for $200 million earlier in 2025.

This cross-border tie-up is noteworthy amid strained U.S.-China relations, marked by trade tensions, technology restrictions, and security concerns.

American companies partnering with Chinese firms like Baidu signal pragmatic cooperation in innovation-driven sectors despite ongoing disputes over intellectual property and data privacy.

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