Lyft and Baidu plan to deploy autonomous rides across Europe

US ride-sharing platform Lyft plans to deploy Chinese-built autonomous vehicles in the UK and Germany during 2026.

Lyft said it will deploy Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) across key European markets through the Lyft platform.

Initial deployments are planned for Germany and the United Kingdom in 2026 pending regulatory approval, with the fleet scaling to thousands of vehicles across Europe in the following years. 

David Risher, chief executive of Lyft, said: “Our partnership with Baidu is all about creating a great customer experience. Their extensive track record operating the world's largest autonomous ride-hailing service means we can bring all the benefits of AVs — safety, reliability, and privacy — to millions of Europeans.

“It's part of our hybrid network approach, where AVs and human drivers work together to provide customer-obsessed options for riders. And importantly, we're committed to working hand-in-hand with local regulators to ensure we deploy these vehicles in their communities in a smart, thoughtful way that benefits everyone.”

As part of the agreement, Lyft will deploy Baidu Apollo Go’s sixth-generation RT6 vehicles as its pioneering autonomous solution in the region.

“Our partnership with Lyft to deploy Apollo Go in Europe, starting with Germany and the United Kingdom, is a significant milestone in our global journey,” said Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu. “This collaboration represents our commitment to making autonomous mobility accessible worldwide while working with local partners who understand their communities. By integrating Baidu's cutting-edge autonomous driving technology with Lyft's platform reach and operational expertise, we're excited to deliver safer, greener, and more efficient mobility solutions to more users."

Baidu’s Apollo Go has a footprint spanning 15 cities and cumulative rides surpassing 11 million. Apollo Go currently deploys over 1,000 operational AVs globally that provide autonomous ride-hailing services to the public.