Baidu’s Strategic Partnership with Lyft Drives 1.75% Stock Rise as European Autonomous Ride Expansion Begins with $240M Trading Volume Ranking 456th

Baidu (BIDU) rose 1.75% on August 4, 2025, with a trading volume of $240 million, ranking 456th in the market. The stock’s performance was driven by a strategic partnership with U.S. ride-hailing company Lyft to deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in Europe starting in 2026. The collaboration will initially focus on Germany and the United Kingdom, with plans to scale to thousands of vehicles across the continent in subsequent years. This marks Baidu’s first commercial foray into European self-driving taxi services and leverages Lyft’s recent acquisition of FreeNow, a mobility app operating in nine European countries and over 180 cities.

Baidu’s Apollo Go service, which has already operated 1,000 autonomous vehicles in 15 global cities and completed 11 million rides, will supply the RT6 electric robotaxis for the partnership. The vehicles are equipped with advanced sensor technology and a 10-layer safety redundancy system. Lyft will manage the platform, customer services, and fleet logistics, while Baidu provides technical validation and vehicle support. The deployment remains subject to regulatory approval but underscores Baidu’s broader strategy to expand its autonomous mobility ecosystem beyond China, following a similar partnership with Uber for Middle Eastern and Asian markets.

The collaboration aims to position Lyft as a leading autonomous vehicle platform in Europe, where demand for green mobility is surging. Baidu’s Apollo Go technology, including its sixth-generation AVs and the ADFM autonomous driving foundation model, is expected to enhance operational efficiency and safety. The partnership also aligns with Europe’s accelerated regulatory timeline for robotaxi services, with the UK targeting initial commercial operations by spring 2026. By integrating FreeNow’s established relationships with regulators and local operators, the companies aim to streamline deployment in key markets.

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