Global ride-hailing company Uber and Chinese technology giant Baidu have entered a new partnership to bring self-driving cars to international markets outside the United States and mainland China. The two companies made this announcement on Tuesday, revealing plans to roll out thousands of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles through the Uber platform in various countries.
The partnership is expected to begin later in the year, starting with selected cities in Asia and the Middle East. Although the companies did not mention specific countries in the initial rollout, sources close to the deal say preparations are already in place for launch in areas where technology regulations are supportive of autonomous vehicles.
This new move signals another major step for the future of mobility, as Uber looks beyond traditional ride-hailing with human drivers and focuses more on smart, tech-driven transportation. Baidu’s Apollo Go, which is already running a fleet of over 1,000 fully driverless vehicles in 15 cities across the world, will now have access to Uber’s massive customer base and international infrastructure.
As of May 2025, Apollo Go had completed over 11 million driverless rides, according to Baidu. The service is currently active in major cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and it has been growing steadily across Asia. Baidu’s vehicles are powered by its Apollo autonomous driving system, which uses artificial intelligence, high-definition mapping, and sensors to navigate roads without human drivers.
This collaboration with Uber is seen as a bold move that could transform the ride-hailing industry, especially in regions that are ready to embrace autonomous mobility. For Uber, the deal offers a way to reduce dependence on drivers, especially in markets where driver availability has been a growing challenge. For Baidu, the deal provides access to a wider market outside China and a trusted global brand to scale its driverless technology.
Industry analysts say the decision to exclude the U.S. and China from the rollout is strategic. In both countries, strict regulations and strong local competition make it difficult for autonomous vehicle services to expand quickly. Instead, Uber and Baidu are focusing on markets with more flexibility and growing interest in technological innovation.
While autonomous driving technology has faced challenges in safety, acceptance, and policy approval, the two companies said that their joint deployment would meet all necessary safety and legal standards. Uber has had previous experiences with autonomous vehicles, including tests in the U.S., but this partnership marks one of its largest commercial moves into the self-driving space.
Baidu, one of China’s top artificial intelligence companies, has invested heavily in driverless technology over the past few years. Its Apollo Go service has been described by company officials as “one of the world’s most advanced robotaxi services.”
By combining Uber’s massive ride-hailing platform and Baidu’s cutting-edge driverless vehicles, the companies believe they can bring smarter, safer, and more efficient transport options to millions of people.
Some transport experts in Nigeria and other African countries have expressed interest in the development, noting that while Nigeria may not be part of the first rollout phase, the continent must start preparing its laws, roads, and infrastructure for the future of driverless mobility.
Others have called for public-private partnerships to enable knowledge sharing and pilot schemes for autonomous vehicles in Africa’s megacities. They also warned of job losses if the technology is adopted without plans for retraining human drivers.
Uber, which currently operates in several Nigerian cities including Lagos and Abuja, is yet to confirm if and when the autonomous vehicles will be available in Africa.
For now, both companies are keeping their focus on making the initial rollout successful. They believe that their partnership can lead to a new era in global transportation, where technology drives innovation and efficiency.
