Chinese tech giant Baidu and Uber have entered into a multi-year partnership to deploy Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the Uber platform across multiple international markets, excluding the US and mainland China.
The companies announced that the first wave of deployments is expected to roll out in Asia and the Middle East by the end of 2025.
Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu, said, “We are committed to bringing the benefit of autonomous driving technology to more people in more markets, and this partnership with Uber represents a major milestone in deploying our technology on a global scale.”
The collaboration aims to make the rides affordable and reliable by integrating Baidu’s driverless cars into Uber’s network. Riders requesting a qualifying Uber trip may be matched with an autonomous Apollo Go vehicle, depending on availability.
To Operate Outside the US and China
The companies will focus on emerging and innovation-friendly markets with faster approval timelines for AV integration. This move is seen as a significant step in scaling autonomous mobility in regions where consumer adoption and smart city infrastructure are more advanced or rapidly evolving.
Baidu claims that its Apollo Go AVs will operate in accordance with local safety and traffic regulations in all deployment markets. The companies have not yet disclosed the cities that will be part of the initial phase. However, they confirmed that announcements will follow closer to launch.
11 Million Rides and Counting
Apollo Go already operates a global fleet of more than 1,000 driverless vehicles across 15 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As of May, it has completed over 11 million public rides.
The goal of this collaboration is to enable riders to experience fully driverless trips as part of their everyday travel routines.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted that the company’s scale makes it a strong platform for AV adoption. “This partnership brings together two of the world’s most iconic technology companies to help shape the future of mobility,” he said.
