Freenow by Lyft and Baidu’s Apollo Go have begun testing the sixth-generation Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in London. The vehicles have safety operators and will initially operate within the borough of Brent, which has a mix of urban and suburban environments.
The companies say that safety and close collaboration with city officials are central to this program. Freenow and Lyft have been in extensive discussions with Transport for London (TfL) and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), aligning with regulators to support a safe, reliable and sustainable service for Londoners.
Thomas Zimmermann, CEO of Freenow by Lyft, said, “As a platform with deep roots in the taxi industry, our priority is ensuring that autonomous technology supports the professional drivers who keep London moving. By integrating these purpose-built, autonomous vehicles from Baidu’s Apollo Go into the Freenow by Lyft ecosystem, we will give Londoners more sustainable choices to travel, encouraging them to choose shared mobility services over personally owned vehicles.”
The vehicles will operate as part of a hybrid network, with Freenow’s established taxi and private hire vehicles and its AVs. For riders, this will mean faster pickup times as the number of vehicles on the platform increases.
“The arrival of Apollo Go vehicles in London marks a defining milestone in our global expansion,” said Nan Yang, vice president of Baidu and general manager of the Overseas Business Unit within the Intelligent Driving Group. “Testing our autonomous fleet in one of the world’s most iconic and complex urban environments validates our technology’s maturity and our commitment to this market. By combining our cutting-edge autonomous driving technology with Freenow by Lyft’s local operational expertise, we are officially moving from vision to reality, together.”
Recent research by Censuswide reveals strong early interest in autonomous vehicles among Londoners, despite limited first-hand experience: 48% have never ridden in one, yet 58% say they’d be likely to try it. Support is even higher among younger Londoners, with nearly two-thirds of those under 35 in favor of AVs being available in the capital. A further 25% said they’re excited about having another transportation option to choose from.
Asked why they’d choose an AV, over half (51%) cited excitement about the technology, 43% pointed to reliability and 41% said they’d value the opportunity for quiet time during their journey.
Freenow by Lyft and Baidu’s Apollo Go will welcome public riders in these vehicles starting in 2027.
In related news, WeRide and Geely Farizon launch right-hand-drive robotaxi in Hong Kong