Uber teams up with a prominent Chinese tech conglomerate for the launch of driverless cars in numerous international markets
Uber, the ride-sharing giant, has announced a significant strategic partnership with Baidu, a leading Chinese technology company, to deploy Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on its platform. This collaboration aims to expand Uber's presence in the autonomous ride-hailing market across multiple international markets, excluding the U.S. and mainland China initially.
As of now, Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi services are already operational in 15 Chinese cities and have completed over 11 million rides as of May, according to Reuters. The initial rollout of this service in partnership with Uber is expected to happen later this year in the Middle East and Asia markets.
The partnership represents a major milestone for Baidu, as co-founder and CEO Robin Li stated, in deploying their technology on a global scale. The collaboration is part of the competition among tech companies to launch self-driving taxis commercially.
The details of the partnership involve deploying thousands of Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on Uber's platform in multiple markets. Initially, riders may not be able to directly request a Baidu AV through the Uber app but might be presented with the option if available. Europe is expected to be a future expansion target as Baidu scales up its international operations.
The partnership has boosted Baidu's stock, with a 9% increase following the announcement. The global robotaxi market, in which Uber is now positioning itself through these partnerships, could unlock opportunities valued at over $750 billion if autonomous mobility gains significant traction.
However, no new information is provided about the status or details of the Uber-Baidu partnership beyond the earlier mentioned deployments in the Middle East and Asia. No response was received from Uber and Baidu regarding FOX Business' request for comment.
It is unknown if the autonomous rides in Austin, Texas, are a part of the Uber-Baidu partnership or a separate initiative by Uber. Riders reportedly documented multiple incidents of driving issues with Tesla's self-driving vehicles in Austin, according to Reuters. Uber and Waymo have also launched autonomous rides in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta earlier this year.
Uber has also announced a partnership with German auto manufacturer Volkswagen to launch all-electric, autonomous shared rides in the U.S. by 2026. Meanwhile, some California residents have reported near-constant noise from Waymo's driverless electric cars' charging lots.
[1] Reuters, (2022), Uber, Baidu to roll out thousands of driverless vehicles on ride-sharing platform, [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uber-baidu-to-roll-out-thousands-of-driverless-vehicles-on-ride-sharing-platform-2022-03-11/
[2] Reuters, (2022), Uber, Baidu deploying autonomous vehicles in partnership, [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uber-baidu-deploying-autonomous-vehicles-partnership-2022-05-03/
[3] Uber, (2022), Cities, [online] Available at: https://www.uber.com/cities
[4] Tesla, (2022), Tesla robotaxi service launched in Austin, Texas, [online] Available at: https://www.tesla.com/robotaxi
[5] Reuters, (2022), Uber, Baidu to roll out thousands of driverless vehicles on ride-sharing platform, [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uber-baidu-to-roll-out-thousands-of-driverless-vehicles-on-ride-sharing-platform-2022-03-11/
- The collaboration between Uber and Baidu aims to expand to the Middle East and Asian markets, leveraging Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on Uber's ride-sharing platform.
- This partnership, part of the competition among tech companies to launch self-driving taxis commercially, positions Uber in the global robotaxi market, potentially unlocking opportunities valued at over $750 billion if autonomous mobility gains significant traction.
