Baidu confirms robotaxi project with Switzerland's PostBus

SHANGHAI: Baidu will start testing self-driving taxis in Switzerland this year in collaboration with the country’s PostBus public transport service, the Chinese tech firm said Wednesday.

China’s tech companies and automakers have poured billions of dollars into self-driving technology in recent years, with driverless taxis already operating in limited areas across the country.

Chinese players are increasingly looking to expand abroad as competition heats up at home.

Baidu on Wednesday confirmed that it would work with PostBus — a subsidiary of Swiss Post responsible for public bus services — to test driverless cars offering ride-hailing and ride-pooling services, starting in December.

The collaboration with PostBus, which is also known as PostAuto in German, will begin with fleet testing in three cantons in eastern Switzerland, Baidu said in a press release.

Baidu said customers will be able to book robotaxis through an app “by the first quarter of 2027 at the latest”.

Wednesday’s announcement comes days after rival Chinese player Pony.ai said it would partner with Stellantis to test autonomous vans in Europe.

Baidu said this year that it plans to launch its robotaxis on rideshare app Lyft in Germany and Britain in 2026.

Baidu earlier announced a similar agreement with Uber in Asia and the Middle East.