Using the Apollo vehicles that already offer autonomous rides across China

Rideshare challenger Lyft and China’s Baidu plan to bring robo-cabs to the UK and Europe next year.

The two companies announced their plan on Monday, promising that if they can secure regulatory approval they’ll start offering robo-rides in the UK and Germany next year, using the same Baidu Apollo cabs already operating in China which Uber plans to use in the Middle East.

Lyft and Baidu expect their fleet will scale “to thousands of vehicles across Europe in the following years.”

The rideshare company seems not to be entirely wedded to Baidu, as its announcement describes the Chinese company’s cars as “its pioneering autonomous solution in the region,” suggesting other robo-cars could follow.

Lyft’s plan to launch in Europe isn’t fanciful because the UK has already passed a law that could see autonomous cars on its streets by 2026. Germany’s autonomous car plan calls ...