Lyft, the US ride-hailing giant, has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese tech company Baidu. The collaboration aims to deploy Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in multiple European markets. The first robotaxi services are expected to go official in Germany and the United Kingdom in 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

The two companies announced their plan on Monday, promising that if they can secure regulatory approval they’ll start offering robo-rides in the UK and Germany next year, using the same Baidu Apollo cabs already operating in China which Uber plans to use in the Middle East.