Uber and Baidu Partner to Launch Robotaxi Trials in London Starting H1 2026, Expanding Global AV Strategy

Ride-hailing giant Uber announced a significant step in its global autonomous vehicle strategy, confirming that robotaxi trials utilizing Baidu's Apollo Go RT6 vehicles will commence in London during the first half of 2026. This pilot program, which also includes a parallel effort with competitor Lyft, marks a major expansion of Chinese autonomous driving technology into the highly regulated U.K. market, with commercial services anticipated to follow the initial testing phase.

Uber Leverages Apollo Go for European Expansion

The collaboration centers on leveraging Baidu’s extensive experience in autonomous driving through its Apollo Go unit. The use of the Apollo Go RT6 model in London underscores the growing trend of Western mobility platforms integrating proven Chinese self-driving hardware and software to accelerate deployment timelines.

The announcement, made on Monday, positions Uber to take on the complex regulatory and logistical challenges of deploying driverless vehicles in a major European capital. While the initial phase will focus on trials, the expectation of subsequent commercial services signals confidence from both partners in the technology's readiness for public use.

Uber said Monday a pilot program using Baidu's Apollo Go RT6 robotaxis in London will start in the first half of 2026, with commercial services expected in the following period.

The simultaneous tie-up between Baidu's Apollo Go and Lyft for U.K. robotaxi tests in 2026 highlights the competitive pressure to establish early market share in emerging autonomous vehicle territories.

Scaling the Global Robotaxi Fleet

The London initiative is a critical component of Uber’s ambitious long-term vision for autonomous transportation. The company is actively working toward operating a massive fleet of 100,000 Nvidia-based robotaxis beginning in 2027. This scale-up is intended to transform Uber’s cost structure and service offerings globally.

Uber’s CEO has previously indicated that the company expects robotaxis to be available in more than 10 markets next year, demonstrating a rapid pace of expansion. Recent partnerships have already seen Uber integrate various autonomous vehicle providers into its network:

• Uber teamed with Avride to offer robotaxi rides in Dallas.
• The company is taking on Waymo in San Francisco using vehicles from Lucid and Nuro.
• Uber’s partner WeRide has already achieved driverless operations on Abu Dhabi Island.

These diverse partnerships reflect a strategy of platform aggregation, where Uber aims to be the primary interface for multiple autonomous vehicle providers, regardless of the underlying hardware or software platform.

The Race for Autonomous Dominance

The move into the U.K. intensifies the global competition among autonomous vehicle developers. Chinese robotaxi firms are aggressively racing against established U.S. players like Waymo to take driverless cars global. Waymo recently launched driverless robotaxis on freeways, a first for the U.S., setting a high bar for operational complexity.

Meanwhile, Chinese competitors Pony AI and WeRide have been active in capital markets, with both companies pursuing Hong Kong listings to fuel their expansion. Uber is reportedly planning to invest in these Hong Kong listings, signaling its commitment to maintaining close ties with leading Chinese autonomous technology developers.

The underlying technology powering this sector remains highly competitive, with Nvidia racing against rivals such as Mobileye and Qualcomm to provide the computing power necessary to get robotaxis humming. Uber’s commitment to an Nvidia-based fleet by 2027 suggests a strong preference for that platform in its future scaling efforts.

The London trial with Baidu is a strategic move that allows Uber to test its operational model in a new regulatory environment while leveraging the technological maturity of the Apollo Go platform, positioning the company for significant growth in the autonomous mobility sector over the next few years.