Lyft Shares Jump 3.05% on 33% Volume Surge to $390M as Baidu Partnership Targets European Autonomous Taxi Market Stock Ranks 312th in Trading Activity

On August 5, 2025, Lyft (LYFT) closed with a 3.05% gain, driven by a 33.06% surge in trading volume to $390 million, ranking it 312th in market activity. The stock’s momentum aligns with its strategic partnership with Baidu to deploy autonomous robotaxis in Europe starting 2026. Lyft will leverage Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 electric vehicles on its platform, initially targeting Germany and the UK, pending regulatory approval. This collaboration marks Baidu’s first foray into the European autonomous taxi market and builds on Lyft’s recent acquisition of FreeNow, which provides access to operations in nine countries and over 180 cities. The partnership aims to scale to thousands of vehicles across Europe, combining Lyft’s operational expertise with Baidu’s autonomous driving technology.

Lyft’s CEO emphasized the hybrid model of integrating AVs with human drivers to enhance customer experience, while Baidu’s CEO highlighted the potential to deliver safer, greener mobility solutions. The RT6 model, equipped with Baidu’s Apollo Autonomous Driving Foundation Model, is designed for high-capacity urban deployment. Both companies plan to collaborate closely with regulators to ensure compliance. This initiative follows Baidu’s similar partnership with Uber, which targets Middle Eastern and Asian markets. Lyft’s expansion into Europe underscores its ambition to compete with Uber and Bolt in the region, leveraging FreeNow’s existing network to accelerate AV integration.

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