Uber and China-based technology company Baidu are collaborating on driverless vehicle technologies, making their autonomous vehicle fleet, called Apollo Go, available through the Uber app in Asia and the Middle East. The partnership currently excludes the United States.

Uber and Baidu Officially Collaborate

The agreement brings Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless vehicle platform to Uber’s broad user base. The first implementations are expected to launch this year in China, as well as in some cities across Asia and the Middle East. Once the new system is operational, Uber users will have the option to travel with an Apollo Go vehicle instead of a human driver in certain areas.

Baidu currently operates more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles in 15 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Apollo Go launched in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, China, in 2022. After announcing plans to expand to Europe in May of this year, the company is launching new regional partnerships. The Uber partnership is the Asia and Middle East component of this expansion.

The partnership does not include the US. The recent increased scrutiny and regulation of Chinese technology companies in the US market has led to the suspension of such plans. Uber and Baidu’s statements do not include any timetable or preliminary information regarding the US market.

The autonomous vehicle space in the US is currently highly competitive. Companies such as Waymo, Avride, Zoox, and Tesla are actively working on driverless vehicle technologies. This competition is believed to be a factor in Chinese companies’ focus on markets outside the US.

With the new partnership, Uber’s digital infrastructure is being integrated with Baidu’s autonomous driving technology. The companies stated that this system will be accessible in more cities over time, creating affordable transportation options for users.