Baidu, the Beijing-based tech giant, is making strides in the autonomous driving industry by planning to launch its Apollo Go robotaxi service in Europe. This move will expand the service to more overseas markets, following its successful implementation in Hong Kong.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Baidu is in discussions with PostAuto, a subsidiary of Swiss Post that provides public bus services, to introduce the Apollo Go robotaxi service in Switzerland. The company is looking to establish a local entity in Switzerland in the coming months and commence testing the technology by the end of the year.
Additionally, Baidu has intentions to bring Apollo Go to Turkey, as per sources familiar with the matter. This expansion into European markets reflects Baidu’s commitment to advancing autonomous driving technology globally.
Baidu ventured into autonomous driving technology back in 2013 and has been a pioneer in the field among Chinese companies. The Apollo Go robotaxi service has been operational in over 10 cities in mainland China, showcasing the company’s expertise in this domain.
In November last year, the Hong Kong government granted pilot licenses to Apollo Go, allowing the service to conduct trial runs of self-driving cars in designated areas. Subsequently, the testing scope was expanded earlier this month, further solidifying Baidu’s presence in Hong Kong.
Apart from Baidu, other players in the robotaxi space in China include WeRide, Pony AI, and Momenta, all of which are also expanding their operations overseas. WeRide, for instance, forged a partnership with Uber in September 2024 to enhance the utilization of its robotaxis on the Uber platform. The collaboration led to the commencement of robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi in December 2024, followed by an expansion to Dubai last month.
Similarly, Pony AI and Momenta announced strategic partnerships with Uber earlier this month to bring robotaxis to the Uber platform, signaling their intent to tap into global markets. These developments underscore the growing interest and investment in autonomous driving technologies worldwide, with companies like Baidu leading the charge towards a future of self-driving vehicles.
