Uber and Baidu partner to launch robotaxis outside U.S. and China

Uber and China's Baidu will partner to launch autonomous robotaxi services in several international markets outside the U.S. and mainland China, the companies said on Tuesday.

The rollout will begin later this year in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

The agreement will bring Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless vehicles to Uber’s ride-hailing platform. Baidu currently operates a fleet of more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles and has completed over 11 million rides in cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, said the partnership marks an important step in expanding the company’s self-driving technology to global markets. Baidu has been offering commercial robotaxi services in several Chinese cities since 2022.

The deal adds to Uber’s growing push into autonomous transportation. Last month, Uber expanded its driverless ride-hailing service in Atlanta through a partnership with Waymo, a unit of Alphabet. Uber has also signed agreements with autonomous vehicle firms Pony AI and May Mobility.

Tesla also joined the competition, launching its first robotaxi tests in Austin, Texas last month. Chinese robotaxi companies have been moving into global markets as well.

In May, Pony AI became the third Chinese autonomous vehicle company, after Baidu and WeRide, to announce plans for deployment in the Middle East.