Baidu Initiates Robotaxi Trials in London with Lyft Partnership
Baidu, a Beijing-based technology company, has commenced testing its autonomous vehicles in London. This initiative is part of a collaboration with Lyft and the German mobility app Freenow, which Lyft acquired last year. The trials involve Baidu's Apollo RT6 self-driving vehicles and are conducted under a pilot program that anticipates autonomous vehicle regulations expected in 2027. The testing began with human safety operators and aims to eventually allow public access to robotaxis through Freenow, pending regulatory approval. The UK government has started accepting applications for companies to participate in autonomous vehicle trials as it finalizes robotaxi regulations. 
