Uber Partners with Baidu for Robotaxi Expansion in China

Uber and Baidu Forge Partnership for Robotaxi Deployment

Uber has established a new collaboration with a leading robotaxi developer, specifically Baidu, a prominent technology company based in China.

Strategic Alliance Details

The companies jointly revealed on Tuesday their agreement for a “multi-year strategic partnership.” This partnership centers around integrating thousands of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the Uber platform.

Deployments will occur across various markets, excluding the United States and mainland China. Initial rollouts are scheduled to begin in Asia and the Middle East later this year, according to the announcement.

Uber's Proactive Approach to Autonomous Vehicles

Uber has been actively pursuing partnerships with AV companies as a strategic move to safeguard its ride-hailing services in the face of growing robotaxi adoption.

Recent months have seen Uber secure agreements to incorporate AVs from companies like Waymo, Volkswagen, May Mobility, and Pony AI into its platform across numerous global cities.

Investment and Expansion

In certain instances, Uber is making direct investments in these partner companies. For example, an expanded partnership with China’s WeRide was announced in May, accompanied by a $100 million investment.

Reports also suggest Uber is evaluating potential support for its co-founder, Travis Kalanick, in a possible acquisition of Pony AI.

Initial Integration of Baidu AVs

Despite the rapid pace of these partnerships, the implementations are still in preliminary phases.

Initially, Uber app users will not be able to directly request a Baidu AV. Instead, riders “may be presented with the option” to complete their journey using a fully driverless Apollo Go AV.

This approach mirrors the functionality currently employed in some of Uber’s existing AV partnerships.

Key Takeaways

• Uber is actively integrating Baidu’s autonomous vehicles into its platform.
• Deployments will initially focus on markets in Asia and the Middle East.
• The partnership reflects Uber’s strategy to embrace and adapt to the rise of robotaxis.