Robotaxi learns London traffic: Baidu and Freenow test driverless RT6
Baidu’s RT6 robotaxi has been driving around London with safety drivers since the summer. Baidu and Lyft-owned Freenow aim to offer driverless rides from 2027.
Symbolic image · Photo: S5A-0043 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Chinese tech group Baidu and ride-hailing platform Freenow, owned by U.S. company Lyft, have presented their joint robotaxi in London. The autonomous RT6 vehicle from Baidu’s Apollo Go unit has been on the streets of the British capital with safety drivers since the summer, Reuters reported. The car is in the phase where it is “learning the rules of the road,” said Danny O’Gorman, head of Freenow in Britain.
The goal is a commercial driverless service in 2027 – provided the authorities approve. Freenow says it is working closely with transport authority Transport for London and expects further guidance soon. Initially, a few dozen vehicles are planned over the next one to two years. It is not a replacement for traditional black cabs, O’Gorman stressed.
With its narrow streets, speed bumps and many 20 mph zones, London is considered difficult terrain for autonomous cars. Competition is already there: Uber and British startup Wayve launched a robotaxi service with safety drivers in September, and Waymo plans to offer driverless rides in the city by the end of 2026.