Chinese technology company Baidu announced a multi-year partnership with Uber Technologies to deploy thousands of Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on the ride-hailing platform across global markets. According to CNBC, the agreement excludes the United States and mainland China, with first deployments expected in Asia and the Middle East later this year.

The partnership will see Apollo Go vehicles integrated into Uber's app in multiple international markets. When requesting rides, Uber users in participating regions may receive the option to travel in fully driverless Baidu vehicles. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are among the initial cities where the service will launch.

Baidu shares jumped 4.5% in premarket trading following the announcement, while Uber stock rose more than 1%. The Beijing-based company currently operates over 1,000 fully autonomous vehicles across 15 cities and has completed more than 11 million cumulative rides as of May 2025.

Why This Matters

The Baidu-Uber alliance represents the largest deployment of Chinese autonomous vehicles on a Western ride-hailing platform. For Baidu, the partnership provides access to Uber's network spanning 15,000 cities globally, allowing rapid international expansion without building local operations from scratch.

Uber gains access to a proven autonomous fleet that has already demonstrated commercial viability in dense urban environments. The partnership reduces Uber's need for internal autonomous vehicle development while providing immediate access to advanced self-driving technology. According to Grand View Research, the global robotaxi market was valued at $1.95 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $43.76 billion by 2030, growing at 73.5% annually.

The deal positions both companies to capture market share in the rapidly expanding autonomous mobility sector. Asia Pacific represents the fastest-growing region for robotaxi adoption, making the partnership particularly strategic for accessing these high-growth markets.

Industry Implications

This partnership reflects Uber's broader strategy of becoming a platform aggregator for autonomous vehicle services rather than developing proprietary technology. The company has established partnerships with multiple AV providers including Waymo, WeRide, and Pony AI across different global markets.

TechCrunch reports that Uber has formed over 15 autonomous vehicle partnerships in the past two years. This multi-partner approach allows Uber to avoid massive research and development costs while maintaining its role as the primary customer interface.

The competitive landscape shows traditional automakers and tech companies racing to establish commercial robotaxi services. Tesla plans to launch its own robotaxi service by 2026, while General Motors' Cruise continues testing in select markets. Chinese companies like Baidu and WeRide are expanding internationally to compete with American leaders Waymo and Tesla.

Regulatory environments vary significantly across target markets, with some regions more receptive to autonomous vehicle testing and deployment. The Middle East has emerged as an early adopter region, with Dubai setting ambitious goals for autonomous transportation adoption.

Further Reading

For deeper insights into global adoption trends, our Alternative Financial Systems Index tracks regulatory frameworks and adoption metrics across 50 countries. The index provides comprehensive analysis of how different nations are approaching autonomous vehicle integration and smart city initiatives.