Hold onto your smartphones, future travelers! China’s tech titan Baidu is teaming up with Lyft to bring its Apollo Go robotaxis to Germany and Britain by 2026—pending regulatory green lights. Think of it as Uber meets sci-fi, but 100% real. 🚀
This isn’t Baidu’s first rodeo: Last month, it partnered with Uber to roll out self-driving cars in Asia and the Middle East. Now, Europe’s up next! Lyft says the fleet will grow to thousands of driverless cars across the continent in coming years. No word yet on other countries, but buckle up for a tech revolution. 🔋
Meanwhile, in China’s cutthroat autonomous driving race, cities like Wuhan and Shanghai are already testing robotaxis. Over 500 zoom around Wuhan’s streets, while Shanghai’s Pudong district just approved more permits. 💨
Baidu’s not alone: Rivals like WeRide and Pony.AI are also going global, with projects in Switzerland and the Middle East. It’s a full-speed race to dominate the self-driving future—and Chinese firms are leading the charge. 🏎️
Lyft’s big move? Snagging German app Freenow this April to plant its flag in Europe. Could this be the start of a robo-taxi takeover? Only time—and regulators—will tell. ⏳
