Chinese robotaxis could be set to appear on UK roads in 2026, after ride-sharing platforms Uber and Lyft announced partnerships with Baidu (百度) to trial autonomous driving technology.
Both companies are seeking regulatory approval to test driverless vehicles in London.
Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless taxi service already operates in dozens of cities, primarily in China, and has completed millions of rides without a human driver.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the announcement as “another vote of confidence in our plans for self-driving vehicles,” although public scepticism over safety remains.
“We’re planning for self-driving cars to carry passengers for the first time from spring, under our pilot scheme—harnessing this technology safely and responsibly to transform travel,” Alexander said in a post on X.
Uber said in June that it would bring forward its plans to trial driverless cars in the UK, as the government moved to accelerate the regulatory framework for pilot programmes involving small autonomous, “bus- and taxi-like” commercial services in 2026.
“We’re excited to accelerate Britain’s leadership in the future of mobility, bringing another safe and reliable travel option to Londoners next year,” Uber said on Monday, referring to its partnership with Baidu.
Lyft said in August that it would explore deploying driverless taxis in the UK and Germany under a broader European agreement with Baidu (百度).
The company already offers “autonomous rides” in Atlanta, in the United States—where Uber also operates a robotaxi service through its partnership with Waymo.
Lyft Chief Executive David Risher said in a post on X on Monday that London passengers would be “the first in the region to experience Baidu’s Apollo Go vehicles.”
However, both firms still require regulatory approval.
Risher said that if approved, Lyft’s initial fleet of dozens of Baidu Apollo Go vehicles would begin testing next year, “with plans to scale to hundreds from there.”
Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London, cautioned that driverless cars “can’t just scale up like other digital technologies.”
“There’s a big difference between having a few test vehicles using public streets as their laboratory and a fully developed, scaled-up system that becomes a real transport option for people,” he told the BBC.
Self-driving vehicles are often promoted as the future of transport, with proponents arguing they make fewer errors than human drivers.
Nevertheless, public unease over the safety of taxis without human operators remains widespread.
Nearly 60% of UK respondents to an October YouGov poll said they would not feel comfortable riding in a driverless taxi under any circumstances. Meanwhile, 85% said they would choose a cab with a human driver if offered the same price and convenience.
Incidents involving autonomous vehicles—such as trapping passengers, causing traffic disruption, or being involved in accidents—continue to attract public attention.
Waymo, a self-driving taxi operator, reportedly suspended its service in San Francisco on Saturday after several vehicles stopped functioning during a power outage.
Stilgoe added that amid concerns over safety, privacy, and congestion, the UK should take the lead in “setting standards for the technology.”
“London has been really successful at getting cars out of its city centre,” he said.
“When it comes to traffic, the only thing worse than a single-occupancy car is a zero-occupancy one.”