Baidu has begun testing its Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in London through a partnership with Lyft and its European mobility platform, Freenow. The first tests started on July 28 with trained safety operators inside the vehicles, ahead of a planned public service in 2027.
Dozens of sixth-generation RT6 robotaxis will initially operate in Brent, a borough covering parts of west and north-west London. The area offers a mix of urban and suburban roads for evaluating the vehicles under local traffic conditions.
Public Rides Planned for 2027
Baidu and Freenow by Lyft plan to let members of the public request Apollo Go vehicles through the Freenow platform from 2027. The launch remains dependent on regulatory approval, and the companies have not provided a more specific commercial timetable.
The arrangement follows a partnership announced in August 2025 to deploy Baidu’s RT6 vehicles in European markets, beginning with the United Kingdom and Germany. Lyft said at the time that the purpose-built electric vehicles would be integrated into its ride-hailing network.
Lyft entered Europe by acquiring Freenow from BMW and Mercedes-Benz in 2025 for approximately $197 million. The acquisition gave the US company an established taxi and private-hire network across several European markets.
Freenow CEO Thomas Zimmermann said the service will use a hybrid model in which autonomous vehicles operate alongside professional taxi and private-hire drivers. He said the company wants the technology to support rather than displace the drivers already using its platform.
London Attracts Several Robotaxi Developers
London is becoming an important testing location for autonomous driving companies. Waymo has started testing vehicles with human safety operators, while Uber and British startup Wayve are preparing a separate robotaxi service.
Baidu has also announced plans to work with Uber on UK autonomous vehicle trials. Apollo Go has already operated commercial driverless services in several Chinese cities, giving Baidu experience managing large robotaxi fleets.
The companies said they are working with Transport for London and the UK’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles as testing progresses.
The UK government opened applications in May for its self-driving passenger service pilot programme. The framework allows approved companies to test taxi and bus-style services without a safety driver after their vehicles, operating systems and passenger services pass regulatory assessment.
Featured image credits: Ivan Radic via Flickr
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