Under the deal, Lyft will deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 autonomous vehicles in key European markets through its platform, with initial rollouts planned for Germany and the UK in 2026, pending regulatory approval

Lyft plans to deploy Baidu Apollo Go’s RT6 fully electric autonomous vehicles initially in Germany and the UK starting in 2026, pending regulatory approval.

Ride-hailing firm Lyft has entered a strategic partnership with Chinese tech firm Baidu to deploy autonomous rides across Europe.

Under the deal, Lyft will deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 autonomous vehicles in key European markets through its platform, with initial rollouts planned for Germany and the UK in 2026, pending regulatory approval. The fleet is expected to scale to thousands of vehicles across Europe in the following years.

With its global footprint spanning 15 cities and cumulative rides surpassing 11 million, Apollo Go currently deploys over 1,000 operational AVs globally.

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 Germany and the UK, combined with their deep relationships with local regulators and taxi operators, serves as a key enabler for deployment in these priority markets.

Meanwhile, Uber is advancing its autonomous strategy through a partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo in the U.S., offering robotaxi rides via the Uber app in cities like Phoenix and Austin. Waymo’s fully driverless vehicles are currently operating across several major U.S. markets, with expansion plans under way, though Uber has yet to announce a comparable AV deployment in Europe.

Elsewhere, Uber’s expansion into robotaxi services is being driven through partnerships with Wayve (UK), WeRide (Europe & Middle East), aiming for broader global reach by 2026.

LYFT rose 3.89% premarket, while BIDU gained 3%.