Motorists could soon share the road with Chinese autonomous vehicles in the UK as part of a major rollout of new technology, which is being supported by Uber.
Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft have announced new partnerships with Chinese technology giant Baidu to bring its Apollo Go self-driving vehicles to London’s roads.
Baidu is already one of the largest autonomous vehicle operators in the world, with more than 17 million cumulative rideshare rides in 22 cities around the world.
The Apollo Go vehicles have already covered over 240 million kilometres of autonomous driving and 140 million kilometres in fully driverless mode.
It comes as the UK looks to accelerate the self-driving revolution, following the Government’s announcement that it would green-light taxi, private hire and bus trials of self-driving vehicles in 2026.
Labour said it would fast-track pilot schemes of self-driving passenger vehicles to Spring 2026, alongside a number of consultations to prepare the emerging sector.
London has already positioned itself as potentially becoming a leader in autonomous trials, while estimates suggest the sector could be worth £42billion by 2035.
David Risher, CEO of Lyft, confirmed the partnership with Baidu and its anticipated London launch on social media site X.
Baidu’s Apollo Go self-driving electric robotaxi will hit London’s roads next year
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He stated that Lyft expects to start testing “dozens of vehicles” next year, pending regulatory approval through the Lyft and Freenow ecosystem.
The 60-year-old confirmed that the rollout would use Apollo Go’s electric RT6 vehicles, which are purpose-built for ridesharing, with “plans to scale to hundreds [of vehicles]”.
Mr Risher continued, saying: “Our hybrid network – AVs and drivers working together – will serve all of London’s travel needs.
“We’re working closely with Transport for London regulators and local communities to expand the rideshare market and create more opportunities for everyone.
“More to come, but can’t wait to see the future of mobility arrive in one of the world’s greatest cities.”
Lyft confirmed in August that it was partnering with Baidu to bring the Apollo Go autonomous vehicles to Germany and the UK in 2026.
Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu, described the European rollout as a “significant milestone in our global journey”.
The Apollo Go RT6 electric robotaxi is already trusted across China, with a recent rollout across Dubai also expected to contribute to more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles on the road.
Uber confirmed that it had partnered with Baidu’s Apollo Go service to launch in the UK
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Baidu states that safety is at the core of its operations, including claiming its vehicles have never been involved in a major accident thanks to more than 40 sensors, impressive AI technology and 17 different parking modes.
Uber will also partner with Baidu to test its autonomous vehicles across London, with the ride-hailing company already providing work for more than 100,000 drivers.
Posting on social media, the company stated: “Testing is expected to start in the first half of 2026, under the UK’s frontier plan to begin trials for self-driving vehicles.
“We’re excited to accelerate Britain’s leadership in the future of mobility, bringing another safe and reliable travel option to Londoners next year.”
