Baidu, Inc, a leading AI company with a strong Internet foundation, and Lyft, Inc., one of North America’s and Europe’s largest transportation networks, today announced a strategic partnership for Lyft to deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) across key European markets through the Lyft platform. This collaboration marks a transformative milestone in Baidu’s international expansion and further positions Lyft as a leading AV platform in Europe.
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. As part of the agreement, Lyft will deploy Baidu Apollo Go’s sixth-generation 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.”
“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,” said David Risher, Lyft CEO. “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.”
Baidu’s Apollo Go brings unparalleled operational expertise and advanced autonomous driving technology to the partnership. With its global 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. This collaboration represents a major leap forward in delivering world-class autonomous mobility to European riders.
Building Europe’s Leading Autonomous Network
The partnership focuses on four key areas to transform European mobility:
Advanced AV Technology Deployment: Apollo Go’s purpose-built, fully-electric RT6 vehicles are designed from the ground up for rideshare operations, leveraging the Apollo ADFM (Autonomous Driving Foundation Model) and six generations of real-world testing. When launched, RT6 rides will be available for riders directly through the Lyft ecosystem, offering enhanced safety features and consistent service quality.
Proven Scale and Operational Excellence: With operations covering over 3,000 square kilometers in Wuhan alone and over 11 million completed rides globally, Apollo Go has demonstrated the ability to scale from test operations to full commercial deployment across major metropolitan areas, creating a strong foundation for European deployment.
Strategic Partnership: Lyft will own the operational value chain and marketplace while Baidu provides vehicles, technology validation, and comprehensive technical support. This approach builds on Lyft’s strategy to be the platform and fleet manager of choice as fleet owners and technology providers scale autonomous operations.
European Market Integration: Lyft will serve as Baidu’s first European rideshare partner, leveraging the acquisition of FREENOW (operating in nine European countries and over 180 cities) to accelerate AV deployment. FREENOW’s established presence in Germanyand the UK, combined with their deep relationships with local regulators and taxi operators, serves as a key enabler for deployment in these priority markets.
Implementation and Next Steps
Lyft will begin deployments pending regulatory approval in Germany and the UK in 2026, operating RT6 vehicles equipped with Baidu Apollo Go’s industry-leading sensor suite, 10-layer safety redundancy architecture, and intelligent interaction design. Both companies will work closely with European regulators and stakeholders to ensure vehicles meet all necessary safety standards and regulatory requirements.
With Europe’s strong transport infrastructure and surging demand for green mobility, this partnership aims to establish Europe as a global showcase for autonomous ride-hailing services and set a new standard for safety-focused, efficient, and sustainable urban mobility.
