Baidu Expands Self-Driving Taxi Tests to Europe by Year-End

Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, is preparing to deploy its first commercial self-driving taxi tests in Europe. They hope to launch these tests by the end of this year. This move enlarges the Apollo Go robotaxi service area more than 100 times. For that reason, it has already had a huge tangible effect in China. Baidu recently operated over 500 unmanned taxis in Wuhan. By the end of this year, the company aims to increase its fleet by 100 additional self-driving cars.

Baidu is hardly sitting still to widen its lead. The company is in negotiations to launch the Apollo Go service in Switzerland, in partnership with PostAuto. Such a collaboration would bring Europe a step closer to interconnected autonomous transportation. Baidu clearly wants to cash in on its deep experience in the field to ensure that it becomes a reality. The company has spent tens or possibly hundreds of billions of dollars pursuing its self-driving dream. This audacious move places it squarely as a fighting spearhead in China’s cut-throat competitive home car market, where intelligent driving is the current war front.

Outside of its European ambitions, Baidu is furthering its goals in the Middle East. The company recently signed a deal to introduce its self-driving taxis on the Uber platform in a vital market within the region. Most recently in March, Baidu signed a deal to run self-driving tests and services in Dubai. This achievement makes the city the first international deployment for the city’s Apollo Go fleet.

Despite its aggressive expansion plans, Baidu has not yet received permits or begun testing in Luxembourg, although other AI companies have already initiated projects there. The autonomous driving sector is the Wild West with a massive gold rush. Competitors such as WeRide are achieving big strides both in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and in Switzerland.

Baidu’s continued dedication to improving its self-driving products is indicative of its wider, long-term plan to branch its services out to different countries. The company’s commitment to pushing the envelope of autonomous vehicle technology reflects a larger narrative of innovation and transformation in transportation happening around the world.