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Investing.com -- Lyft , Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) stock rose 4.6% after announcing a strategic partnership with Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) to deploy autonomous vehicles across key European markets through the Lyft platform.
The collaboration will see Lyft deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in Germany and the United Kingdom (TADAWUL:4280) starting in 2026, pending regulatory approval. The companies plan to scale the fleet to thousands of vehicles across Europe in subsequent years, with Lyft utilizing Baidu’s sixth-generation vehicles as its pioneering autonomous solution in the region.
Baidu’s Apollo Go brings significant operational experience to the partnership, having completed over 11 million autonomous rides across 15 cities globally with over 1,000 operational autonomous vehicles currently in service.
"Our partnership with Baidu is all about creating a great customer experience. Their extensive track record operating the world’s largest autonomous ride-hailing service means we can bring all the benefits of AVs — safety, reliability, and privacy — to millions of Europeans," said David Risher, Lyft CEO.
The partnership focuses on four key areas: deploying advanced autonomous vehicle technology, leveraging proven operational capabilities, establishing a strategic division of responsibilities, and integrating with European markets. Lyft will own the operational value chain and marketplace while Baidu provides vehicles, technology validation, and technical support.
Lyft will utilize its acquisition of FREENOW, which operates in nine European countries and over 180 cities, to accelerate autonomous vehicle deployment in the region. Both companies will work closely with European regulators to ensure vehicles meet all necessary safety standards and regulatory requirements.
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