Global Robotaxi Rollout Gains Momentum as Driverless Services Expand Worldwide
The global push to commercialise robotaxis gathered significant pace in 2025, as autonomous vehicle developers and ride-hailing platforms moved beyond controlled testing into limited passenger operations across multiple regions.
After years of pilot programmes overseen by safety drivers, companies in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia are increasingly betting that driverless taxis will become a defining feature of urban transport. The shift is driven by the promise of lower operating costs, round-the-clock fleet availability and reduced reliance on human drivers, although progress continues to depend heavily on regulatory approval and local partnerships.
In the United Kingdom, Uber and Lyft have signalled their ambitions by partnering with Chinese technology firm Baidu to trial its Apollo Go RT6 robotaxis from 2026. The planned London trials reflect a broader trend of Western mobility platforms collaborating with Chinese autonomous driving specialists seeking global expansion.
British autonomous driving startup Wayve has also emerged as a key European player. Backed by SoftBank and Nvidia, the company partnered with Uber in 2024 to advance testing in the UK, with fully driverless services targeted for 2026. Wayve’s technology relies on “embodied AI,” which uses real-world driving data to train neural networks rather than relying solely on predefined rules.
In the Middle East, the pace of deployment has been particularly rapid. Uber and Chinese firm WeRide launched Level 4 autonomous ride services in Abu Dhabi in late 2025, with plans to extend operations to Dubai in early 2026. WeRide is also active in Singapore and Switzerland and continues to operate in major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Guangzhou, while supporting Uber’s platform in Riyadh.
Baidu’s Apollo Go division accelerated its international footprint throughout 2025. The company began testing autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi through partnerships with local transport authorities and Autogo, with commercial services expected next year. It also secured an agreement with Swiss Post’s PostBus to launch robotaxi operations in Switzerland, targeting full deployment in early 2027.
Within China, Baidu remains one of the sector’s dominant forces. It received the country’s first permits for fully driverless commercial operations in 2022 and has since expanded services across major cities such as Wuhan, Chongqing, Shenzhen and Beijing, alongside gaining testing approval in Hong Kong.
Alphabet-owned Waymo, one of the earliest pioneers in autonomous ride-hailing, is preparing to enter the European market with planned operations in London from 2026. The company already runs driverless fleets in several US cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and continues supervised trials in Tokyo.
Elsewhere in China, Pony.ai expanded paid robotaxi services in Guangzhou and Shanghai during 2025 and secured Shenzhen’s first citywide permit for autonomous operations. The firm has also begun testing a new vehicle platform in Beijing and announced plans to deploy robotaxis for airport staff at Hong Kong International Airport.
In the United States, Amazon’s autonomous subsidiary Zoox widened its footprint by offering free rides to selected users in San Francisco and Las Vegas while awaiting approval to charge fares. Its purpose-built robotaxi features a bidirectional design and operates without traditional driving controls.
Tesla also took initial steps toward launching its long-promised robotaxi service, beginning limited paid rides in Austin using Model Y vehicles monitored by safety drivers. The company has since received approval to operate in Arizona and is continuing tests without human supervision.
Meanwhile, China-based Momenta strengthened its international strategy through a partnership with Singapore’s Grab, alongside a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz and UAE operator Lumo to launch a luxury robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi in 2026.
As trials evolve into early commercial deployments, industry observers say the coming years will be critical in determining whether robotaxis can scale safely and sustainably, reshaping how people move around cities worldwide.
