Chinese technology firm Baidu has commenced autonomous vehicle testing in London as part of a strategic partnership with Lyft and its European subsidiary Freenow. The trials represent the latest escalation in competitive efforts across the city, where Waymo initiated testing in April and Uber announced 2026 launches through its Wayve partnership. The companies' alliance, formed roughly a year prior, aims to introduce Baidu's purpose-built Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi across European markets, building on Lyft's 2025 acquisition of Freenow for approximately £197 million.

The public-facing service is targeted for 2027 launch, subject to UK regulatory approval. Initial testing involves dozens of vehicles operating within London's Brent borough with human safety operators present. Freenow by Lyft has confirmed ongoing discussions with Transport for London and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles regarding deployment. The company has committed to a hybrid operating model pairing autonomous vehicles with existing taxi services, framed as support for professional drivers navigating the sector's technological transition.