Uber Collaborates with Baidu for Innovative Robotaxi Partnership in China

Uber has forged another partnership, this time teaming up with Baidu, a leading figure in the Chinese technology sector.

On Tuesday, the two companies announced the creation of a “multi-year strategic alliance” focused on integrating thousands of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the Uber platform across various markets outside the U.S. and mainland China. The rollout is scheduled to commence in Asia and the Middle East later this year, as stated by the companies.

Recently, Uber has been actively pursuing AV partnerships to protect its ride-hailing business as the robotaxi trend picks up steam.

In the last few months, Uber has secured agreements to integrate AVs from Waymo, Volkswagen, May Mobility, and Pony AI into its platform in multiple cities worldwide. In some cases, Uber is also acquiring direct equity stake in these firms. Back in May, Uber announced an expanded partnership with China’s WeRide, which included a notable $100 million investment. There are also rumors that Uber may help its founder, Travis Kalanick, finance a takeover of Pony AI.

Despite the swift advancements in these collaborations, they remain in the early developmental stages. Currently, riders will not be able to specifically request a Baidu AV via the Uber app. Instead, the companies suggest that riders “may be presented with the option” to have their ride completed by a fully autonomous Apollo Go AV, akin to the arrangements made with some of Uber’s other partnerships.