Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi service sets sights on global expansion

Beijing (Gasgoo)- During Baidu's Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 earnings call, CEO and co-founder Robin Li highlighted the impressive growth of Apollo Go, the company's autonomous ride-hailing service, and its ambitious plans for global expansion in 2025.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Apollo Go provided approximately 1.1 million rides across China, marking a 36% year-on-year leap. By January 2025, the cumulative number of rides exceeded 9 million.

Mr. Li emphasized that 2025 would be a pivotal year for Apollo Go's growth, with plans to rapidly expand its fleet size and ride volumes. He also revealed that Apollo Go is actively seeking partnerships with mobility service providers, local taxi companies, and third-party fleet operators to scale up efficiently through an asset-light model.

Apollo Go made its first significant move outside the Chinese Mainland in November last year, securing permits to test its autonomous vehicles on open roads in Hong Kong, becoming the first company authorized for robotaxi testing in the city. This milestone also marked its entry into a right-hand drive, left-hand traffic market.

Mr. Li also announced that since February 2025, Apollo Go has transitioned to 100% fully driverless operations across China, setting a new industry standard for autonomous ride-hailing services. To date, the fleet has accumulated over 130 million autonomous kilometers.