Uber and Lyft have announced plans to test Chinese made self driving taxis on UK roads in 2026, marking a major step for autonomous transport in Britain. Both ride sharing companies have partnered with Chinese tech firm Baidu to trial its driverless taxi service, Apollo Go, in London, subject to regulatory approval.
Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis are already operating in several regions, including mainland China, Hong Kong, and Dubai. The service has completed millions of passenger trips without a human driver, which Baidu says proves the system’s reliability and technical maturity.
The UK government has welcomed the announcement. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the move as a strong vote of confidence in Britain’s self driving vehicle strategy. She stated that the government plans to allow passenger carrying autonomous vehicles from spring, under controlled pilot programs designed to prioritize safety and public trust.
Uber confirmed earlier this year that it would accelerate its UK driverless car trials as the government works to update laws for small autonomous taxi and bus like services. The company said its partnership with Baidu could help position London as a leader in future mobility by offering residents another safe and dependable transport option.
Lyft has also expanded its agreement with Baidu to cover parts of Europe, including the UK and Germany. The company already operates autonomous rides in Atlanta, United States, and confirmed that London would be the first European city to test Apollo Go vehicles. Lyft CEO David Risher said that, if approved, testing would begin with dozens of vehicles and later scale up to hundreds.
