Baidu has commenced testing autonomous vehicles in London's Brent borough as part of a partnership with Lyft and its subsidiary, Freenow.
Key facts
- •Lyft acquired the German taxi and multi-mobility app Freenow in 2025 for approximately $197 million.
- •The testing phase currently involves dozens of vehicles operating exclusively within the London borough of Brent.
- •Baidu and Freenow by Lyft aim to invite the public to use their robotaxi service starting in 2027.
- •The UK government opened applications in May for companies to participate in an autonomous vehicle pilot program under official oversight.
- •Freenow by Lyft plans to maintain a hybrid fleet where robotaxis work alongside human-operated vehicles.
Chinese technology firm Baidu has begun testing autonomous vehicles in London, marking a new phase in its partnership with Lyft and the German mobility app Freenow. The testing, which launched on Tuesday, utilizes human safety operators behind the wheel. This initiative follows a strategic agreement established nearly a year ago to deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi model across European markets via the Lyft platform.
By the numbers
London as a Robotaxi Battleground
London has become a central location for autonomous vehicle development, with several companies competing to establish commercial services. Waymo initiated testing in the city in April, while Uber and its partner, Wayve, have announced plans to launch a robotaxi service this year. Uber has already opened an interest list for its initial service, which will also feature human safety operators before transitioning to fully driverless operations.
Deployment Plans and Regulatory Oversight
Baidu and Freenow by Lyft anticipate opening their robotaxi service to the public in 2027, contingent upon receiving necessary regulatory approvals. Currently, dozens of test vehicles are operating within the London borough of Brent. The companies are maintaining ongoing discussions with local authorities, including Transport for London and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, as the UK government develops its regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle pilots.
Hybrid Operational Model
When the service eventually launches, Freenow by Lyft intends to operate a hybrid network. This model will integrate robotaxis alongside human-driven taxis and private-hire vehicles. Thomas Zimmermann, CEO of Freenow by Lyft, stated that the company’s priority is to ensure that autonomous technology supports professional drivers within the existing taxi industry.
Timeline
- AprilWaymo began testing autonomous vehicles with human safety operators in London.
- MayThe UK government opened applications for companies to test self-driving vehicles under a pilot program.
- TuesdayBaidu began testing autonomous vehicles in London with human safety operators.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by TechCrunch.
