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Chinese technology giant Baidu is bringing its autonomous driving ambitions to the streets of London through a partnership with Lyft-owned Freenow. The companies have unveiled Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi in the British capital, with plans to introduce a fully driverless ride-hailing service in 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
The announcement, made on October 22, 2026, follows several months of supervised testing that began during the summer. The RT6 autonomous vehicle is currently operating with a human safety driver behind the wheel while engineers evaluate its ability to navigate London’s complex road network. The companies hope to progress toward fully driverless operations next year before launching a commercial service.
London presents a particularly demanding environment for autonomous driving technology. Its narrow streets, frequent speed bumps, roundabouts and extensive 20 mph speed limits require vehicles to respond to a wide range of unpredictable traffic conditions. According to Freenow UK General Manager Danny O’Gorman, these characteristics make the city an important testing ground for evaluating how autonomous vehicles adapt to local driving rules and everyday road situations.
The partnership combines Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous driving technology with Freenow’s ride-hailing operations, providing a potential route for the Chinese company to expand its robotaxi services into Europe. Freenow is working closely with Transport for London as the companies prepare for future regulatory requirements. The initial deployment is expected to remain relatively small, with plans to operate dozens of vehicles over the next one to two years while assessing demand and operational performance.
The initiative comes as competition in London’s autonomous mobility market intensifies. British autonomous driving specialist Wayve and Uber introduced supervised robotaxi rides in September 2026, while Alphabet-owned Waymo is targeting the launch of a fully driverless ride-hailing service in the city before the end of the year. These developments are positioning London as an increasingly important testing and deployment market for autonomous vehicle technology.
Despite the growing momentum behind driverless transportation, Freenow has emphasized that its robotaxi initiative is not intended to replace London’s traditional black cabs. Instead, the company sees autonomous vehicles as a complementary mobility option that could expand transportation choices while operating alongside existing taxi services.
For Baidu, the London trials represent another step toward bringing its autonomous driving technology to international markets. While a commercial launch remains dependent on regulatory approval and successful safety testing, the partnership highlights how robotaxi operators are moving beyond controlled demonstrations toward real-world urban deployment, potentially reshaping the future of ride-hailing services across Europe.
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