Uber, Lyft Partner with Baidu for London Robotaxi Trials in 2026

Uber and Lyft have partnered with Chinese technology company Baidu to launch trials of autonomous electric taxis in London starting in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approval, as part of a broader push to introduce self-driving vehicles to the city's streets.

The collaboration, announced this week, will see the ride-hailing platforms test Baidu's Apollo Go RT6 vehicles, which are purpose-built for ridesharing and designed to operate without a human driver. Lyft plans to begin with dozens of the SUVs before scaling to hundreds, integrating them into its platform alongside its recent acquisition of the European taxi app FreeNow. Uber, which struck a deal with Baidu in July, also aims to start pilot runs in early 2026. These efforts position London as a key testing ground for robotaxis in Europe, where companies are racing to deploy the technology ahead of the UK's planned small-scale pilots for passenger-carrying autonomous vehicles beginning in spring 2026.

The British government has accelerated its framework for self-driving cars, with changes announced in June to enable safer and more responsible integration into public transport. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander...