Chinese internet giant Baidu is expanding beyond Asia - now Europe is next. The company is going to launch its unmanned taxi Apollo Go first in Switzerland and then, possibly, in other countries...
Chinese technology corporation Baidu Inc. has announced plans to test and introduce the Apollo Go unmanned taxi service in the markets of Europe and Turkey. This decision is in line with the general strategy of Chinese companies actively developing autonomous transport technologies outside their country.
Baidu is now negotiating with PostAuto, a local transport company owned by the Swiss Post. If the parties reach an agreement, robot taxis will start travelling on the streets of Switzerland by the end of 2025.
Baidu plans to open an office in Switzerland and set up on-site testing of the technology. This could be the first step towards a big international expansion project.
The company is reportedly in talks with PostAuto, a division of the Swiss postal service, to launch a pilot project in Switzerland. The first test rides could begin before the end of 2025. Previously, similar initiatives have already been implemented by other market players, including WeRide, which is present in more than 30 cities around the world, as well as Uber, which is working with a number of developers to promote the service in the UAE and European countries.
In China, the Apollo Go service is already operating in major cities including Beijing, Guangzhou and Wuhan. Its development is provoking discussions in the professional environment related to the transformation of the passenger transport market.
Apollo Go is not new to the world of drones. In Hong Kong, these cars are already travelling without drivers (but not yet without passengers). In Dubai, the company will launch 100 autonomous cars this year and plans to increase the number to a thousand by 2028.
