Baidu could start testing its Apollo Go robotaxi service in Europe this year

Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi work is making its debut successful Europe aboriginal this year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Chinese institution is reportedly negotiating with Switzerland’s PostAuto, a Swiss Post subsidiary that offers agrarian autobus services passim the country, to commencement investigating Apollo Go successful Switzerland. To beryllium capable to trial its exertion successful Switzerland earlier the twelvemonth ends, Baidu is mounting up a section entity successful the coming months.

Back successful March, the institution announced that it was deploying 100 afloat autonomous cars successful Dubai, with plans to grow its fleet to 1,000 vehicles successful the metropolis by 2028. It's besides expanding its trials successful Hong Kong and reportedly has plans to trial its vehicles successful Turkey successful the future. Baidu launched Apollo Go successful each "first-tier" Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, successful 2022. As The Journal notes, Baidu, similar its Chinese competitors, is apt looking to grow successful Europe alternatively of the US, due to the fact that Chinese companies could beryllium taxable to much scrutiny successful the country.

One of the companies Baidu volition beryllium competing with successful Europe is Uber, which signed a deal with Chinese self-driving startup Momenta earlier this month. Uber and Momenta are launching robotaxi services successful the continent sometime successful 2026. When Baidu does commencement investigating its vehicles its Switzerland, they'll astir apt person drivers down the instrumentality earlier the institution progresses to afloat driverless trials.

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