Lyft is teaming up with Chinese tech giant Baidu to bring fully autonomous robotaxis to the UK and Germany—and they’re aiming to have them on our streets in 2026.
Lyft is betting big that Baidu, a company that has already cracked the code on a massive scale back in China, can do the same here. The plan is to go from zero to thousands of self-driving cars integrated directly into the app you likely already have on your smartphone.
The vehicle at the centre of this plan is the Apollo Go RT6, a machine built for one job: carrying passengers without a human driver. It’s designed to be a lounge on wheels, and the steering wheel can even be removed to create more space.
Robin Li, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Baidu, said: “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.
“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 has the receipts to back this up. They aren’t learning on the job; they’re the world’s biggest operator in this space, with over 11 million rides already completed. However, it will require all that expertise for Lyft to replicate Baidu’s robotaxis success in the UK, Germany, and the rest of Europe.
David Risher, CEO of Lyft, commented: “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.”
So how does Lyft plan to pull this off so quickly? Their secret weapon is another app you might already have on your phone: FREENOW. By acquiring the popular European service, Lyft bought itself a ready-made network with existing relationships with the local authorities whose permission they will need to launch their robotaxis.
But the billion-pound question is whether the UK and German regulators – which aren’t exactly known for moving quickly when it comes to emerging technologies – will actually sign off on the deployment. The technology may be proven in Wuhan, but navigating the dense, chaotic streets of London or Berlin is another challenge entirely.
You can bet that safety groups, taxi unions, and a skeptical public will all want their say before these self-driving cars from Lyft and Baidu are given the green light to become operational robotaxis. The tech is ready. The money is in place. The only question left is whether UK and German citizens are ready to step inside the cabins of autonomous robotaxis.
See also: UK public asked to shape rollout of self-driving cars
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