European robo-taxi market?! Coming soon! If you like the idea of being driven by a robot without having to talk about the weather and politics, we have great news for you. American Lyft and Chinese tech giant Baidu will start their first autonomous rides in Europe as early as 2026.
The European robo-taxis market?! In the next few years, we might finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief – robo-taxis are coming to Europe! Because, let's be honest, who wants to listen to a driver tell you their life story or "torture" you with the most terrible music ever?
The first steps of robots on European streets next year
American ride-hailing company Lyft recently announced an exciting partnership with Chinese giant Baidu. Together, they will bring fully electric robotaxis like the Baidu RT6 to European roads.
The first test drives of these cute automotive “robocops” will take place next year – wherever local regulators are brave enough (or curious enough) to let them on the roads. Germany and the UK are expected to be the first European countries where residents will be able to test out what it’s like to drive without a driver watching you from the side because you forgot to buckle up.
International cooperation in 180 locations across Europe
Lyft and Baidu's partnership spans nine European countries and more than 180 cities. Under the deal, Lyft will take over platform management, logistics, and customer service, while Baidu will provide the vehicles and technical support. That's a good thing, otherwise we'd quickly find ourselves in a situation where Lyft would have to fix robo-taxis with the "Autonomous Taxis for Dummies" manual.
David Risher, CEO of Lyft, enthusiastically stated:
“Our partnership with Baidu is focused on creating a great user experience. Baidu’s extensive track record in operating the world’s largest autonomous transportation network means we can bring all the benefits of self-driving vehicles – safety, reliability and privacy – to millions of Europeans. It’s our hybrid approach, where autonomous vehicles work with human drivers to provide passengers with a range of options tailored to their preferences. It’s also important that we actively engage with local regulators to ensure the smart, thoughtful and socially beneficial use of these vehicles.”
That's all well and good, but let's face it - the real reason to be excited is that the robotaxi driver will never tell you that he's out of change for a refund or that he doesn't accept cards. Welcome to the future!
Lyft further accelerates expansion with FreeNow acquisition
Lyft's recent acquisition is further helping it enter the European robo-taxis market FreeNow applications, which is said to be worth around $200 million. Apparently, Lyft wants to flex its digital muscles even further – and they certainly have them.
Uber and Wayve coming soon?
Lyft and Baidu aren't the only ones preparing to take to the road without a human behind the wheel on European roads. Uber and Wayve are also eagerly awaiting the regulatory green light. In the UK, the first commercial robo-taxis could begin as early as spring 2026.
Who knows – maybe by then robots will even understand your British humor.
A final thought for reflection
Autonomous driving is right at the doorstep of Europe and now we can only ask one thing: "Will robotaxis have a pendant with a fragrant spruce on the mirror or a microprocessor air freshener?" Either way, the future of transport is definitely getting closer and inevitably autonomous.
Just be careful not to start telling your robot taxi driver your life story – although he might also sometimes feel like driving away without you.
