China’s Baidu Inc.-backed (NASDAQ:BIDU) Robotaxi outfit Apollo Go has begun testing its autonomous vehicles in London following its deals with Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT).

Apollo Go Testing AVs With Onboard Safety Operators

According to an official statement released by the company on Tuesday, Apollo Go will test its latest RT6 autonomous vehicles in London with Lyft-backed ride-hailing company Freenow. The Robotaxi operator said that testing would be conducted with onboard safety drivers in London’s Brent borough.

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The company says public rides are scheduled to begin in 2027, pending regulatory approval. Apollo Go also announced it is conducting Level 4 autonomous testing in Hong Kong with safety drivers, marking the first time a company has conducted driverless testing in a right-hand-drive market globally.

The London service will be offered alongside traditional ride-hailing, Apollo Go said. It also announced that the service had completed 22 million rides globally by April 2026, with the operator completing 3.2 million fully driverless rides in the first quarter of 2026.

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Globally, its fleet has recorded over 136 million driverless miles, Apollo Go said. Notably, Apollo Go offers level 4 autonomous rides in Dubai in partnership with Uber.

Waymo, Tesla’s Robotaxi Push

Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Robotaxi service Waymo had earlier announced it was conducting autonomous vehicle testing in London following its partnership with Moove. In the U.S., however, Waymo has exited its partnership with Uber in Phoenix.

The companies are also reportedly seeking to end the partnership in cities like Atlanta and Austin, with the Robotaxi operator planning to enter both markets independently once the contract expires in January 2028.

Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), during its second-quarter 2026 earnings call earlier, said that it was ramping up production of its Cybercab. Tesla currently offers driverless Robotaxi rides in Austin, Dallas, Miami, Houston and Orlando.

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