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Baidu Partners with Switzerland’s PostBus to Launch Apollo Go Robotaxis in Europe

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Baidu (9888.HK) announced a partnership with Switzerland’s PostBus on Wednesday to bring its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle service to the country, marking the Chinese tech giant’s first robotaxi deployment in Europe. The deal highlights Baidu’s rapid international expansion in self-driving technology amid slowing growth in its traditional advertising business.

Under the partnership, PostBus, a subsidiary of Swiss Post and one of the country’s major public transport operators, will collaborate with Baidu to introduce driverless vehicles to eastern Switzerland. The service will cover the cantons of St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, and Appenzell Innerrhoden, with a trial fleet set to begin testing in December 2025 and full operations expected by early 2027, according to Baidu’s statement.

The agreement follows Baidu’s recent partnerships with Lyft and Uber, under which the company will deploy thousands of its Apollo Go robotaxis across several European and international markets beginning next year. The Swiss launch signals Baidu’s ambition to become a key player in global autonomous mobility, challenging U.S. and European rivals such as Waymo, Cruise, and Mobileye.

Baidu said its Apollo Go platform now operates more than 1,000 fully driverless vehicles in 16 cities worldwide, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Hong Kong. The company has positioned Apollo Go as one of the largest autonomous ride-hailing services in the world, with millions of rides completed.

As China’s economy cools, Baidu has increasingly shifted its focus toward artificial intelligence and autonomous transportation technologies to diversify its revenue. The collaboration with PostBus gives Baidu a foothold in the European market, where regulatory approval for driverless vehicles has been gradually expanding.

Industry analysts say the partnership could make Switzerland a testing ground for wider European adoption of Baidu’s robotaxi systems, blending Chinese innovation with Swiss public transport infrastructure.

Nvidia eyes $500 million investment in UK self-driving startup Wayve

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Nvidia has signed a letter of intent to invest $500 million in Wayve, a London-based autonomous driving technology company, during its next funding round, Wayve confirmed Thursday. The move underscores Nvidia’s growing push into self-driving and follows a broader U.S.-UK technology pact to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence.

Founded in 2017, Wayve has developed a machine-learning approach to autonomous driving that differs from conventional systems. Instead of relying heavily on pre-mapped roads, its AI learns directly from traffic patterns and human driver behavior using vehicles equipped with camera sensors.

Wayve raised over $1 billion in 2023, led by SoftBank with backing from Nvidia, while Uber invested separately in 2024. Its autonomous driving platforms already use Nvidia chips, linking its growth to the broader global AI hardware surge.

The company operates in both the UK and U.S., while expanding testing into markets such as Germany and Japan. Nvidia’s latest move comes alongside a pledge to invest £2 billion ($2.7 billion) in Britain’s AI startup ecosystem, a signal of its commitment to both mobility technology and the UK’s broader AI ambitions.

Lyft pays $19.4 million to New Jersey over driver classification dispute

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Lyft has agreed to pay $19.4 million to New Jersey after state officials concluded the company misclassified more than 100,000 drivers as independent contractors between 2014 and 2017. The payment follows an audit by the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which found Lyft failed to make required contributions to unemployment, disability, and family leave funds.

The audit assessed Lyft $10.8 million in unpaid contributions plus $8.5 million in penalties and interest. Lyft initially contested the findings but later withdrew its request for a hearing, paying the balance to settle the matter. The company said it still believes it classified drivers properly under state law but chose not to pursue further legal challenges.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said the misclassification deprived workers of critical protections. “There is no reason temporary or on-demand workers … can’t be treated like other employees,” Asaro-Angelo emphasized.

The case reflects a broader trend of scrutiny on gig economy companies. Lyft previously reached a $27 million settlement with Massachusetts in June 2024, and both Lyft and Uber continue to face regulatory battles over whether drivers should be treated as employees entitled to benefits such as minimum wage, overtime, and sick leave.