Uber’s newest robotaxi associate is China’s Baidu

Uber has struck one other cope with a robotaxi supplier, and this time it’s with Chinese language tech large Baidu.

The 2 corporations introduced Tuesday that they’ve agreed to a “multi-year strategic partnership to deploy hundreds of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous automobiles (AVs) on the Uber platform” in a number of markets outdoors the U.S. and mainland China. These deployments will begin in Asia and the Center East later this 12 months, the businesses mentioned.

Uber has been on a tear of AV partnerships recently because it seems to be to guard its ride-hailing enterprise by embracing the rise of robotaxis.

In the previous couple of months alone, Uber has agreed to place AVs from Waymo, Volkswagen, Could Mobility, and Pony AI on its platform in several cities around the globe. In some circumstances, Uber is taking direct stakes in these corporations. In Could, Uber introduced an expanded partnership with China’s WeRide that included a $100 million funding. Uber is reportedly additionally contemplating serving to its founder Travis Kalanick finance a takeover of Pony AI.

As quick as these partnerships have been coming, they’re nonetheless within the very early levels. On this occasion, riders initially received’t be capable to request a Baidu AV in Uber’s app. As a substitute, the businesses say the rider “could also be introduced with the choice” to have their journey fulfilled by a completely driverless Apollo Go AV. That is much like how a few of Uber’s different partnerships already work.