Chinese tech company Baidu began testing autonomous vehicles in London on July 28 with human safety operators, through a partnership with Lyft and Freenow.

The companies said dozens of test vehicles will operate in Brent, and public robotaxi services could start in 2027 if regulators approve.

In the UK, paid autonomous passenger services need permits under the pilot scheme, while the broader self-driving regime is due in the second half of 2027.

The move expands Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi service beyond China.

Baidu said it delivered 3.4 million fully driverless rides and runs commercial driverless services in cities Wuhan, parts of Beijing, as well as services or testing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

London is becoming a more crowded robotaxi market, with Waymo already testing about 100 vehicles there, and Uber planning a Wayve-powered launch in the coming months. Lyft and Freenow have also outlined a framework for broader autonomous taxi deployment in Europe.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

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