Baidu, Lyft shares jump on European robotaxi partnership

Investing.com -- Shares in Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) moved higher on Monday after the Chinese tech giant announced it is set to bring its autonomous taxis to Europe through a new partnership with the U.S. ride-hailing company as it ramps up its global push into driverless mobility.

Baidu’s U.S.-listed shares rose nearly 3% in premarket trading, while Lyft stock added 4.5% as of 12:35 GMT. 

The companies plan to launch robotaxis in the U.K. and Germany starting in 2026, with ambitions to roll out “thousands” of vehicles across Europe “in the following years,” according to a joint statement on Monday.

The deployment still hinges on regulatory approval, and it’s not yet clear whether the robotaxi service will be integrated into FreeNow, the Germany-based ride-hailing platform Lyft recently acquired. FreeNow operates in more than 150 cities across nine European countries, including Ireland, the U.K., Germany and France.

While Lyft has had minimal operations in Europe until now, the Baidu deal could give it a strategic advantage as it looks to challenge competitors like Uber (NYSE:UBER) and Bolt.

The partnership also marks another step in Baidu’s efforts to export its autonomous vehicle technology. Last month, the company reached a deal with Uber to bring its driverless cars to markets outside mainland China and the U.S., with a focus on Asia and the Middle East.

Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi service has been available in Chinese cities such as Beijing since 2021, allowing users to book rides through its app.

For Lyft, teaming up with Baidu could serve as a key differentiator in Europe’s competitive ride-hailing space. Autonomous vehicles have become a major area of interest for the industry, with many companies seeking partners to help roll out driverless technology.

In the U.K., where Lyft is targeting its expansion, Uber recently joined forces with self-driving startup Wayve to begin testing autonomous rides starting in spring 2026.