Baidu Launches First European Robotaxi Operation in Switzerland as Chinese Firms Advance Global Autonomous Driving Push

Baidu's European Robotaxi Gambit: China's Autonomous Driving Push Finds New Footholds Despite Western Skepticism

ZURICH — On a crisp spring morning at Zurich Airport, a sleek white vehicle with distinctive lidar sensors mounted on its roof navigates through the complex web of terminal roadways, smoothly merging into traffic without a hand on the wheel. While this scene hasn't yet materialized, it represents the near future Baidu envisions as it prepares to bring its Apollo Go robotaxi service to European soil for the first time.

The Beijing-based tech giant, known as China's answer to Google, is finalizing plans to establish a local entity in Switzerland within months and aims to begin testing its autonomous vehicles on Swiss roads by year's end. This watershed moment signals not just Baidu's ambitions beyond China's borders, but a dramatic acceleration in the global race for autonomous driving leadership.

"Switzerland represents the ideal gateway for our European expansion," said a senior Baidu executive familiar with the company's international strategy. "Its combination of technological openness, sophisticated infrastructure, and progressive regulatory framework makes it the perfect testbed for our autonomous systems in European conditions."

Courting Swiss Partners While Facing Uncertainty

Behind the scenes, Baidu has engaged in discussions with PostAuto, the transportation subsidiary of Swiss Post that operates an extensive network of public bus services throughout the Alpine nation. These talks center on potential collaboration to introduce robotaxi services, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.

However, the path forward remains uncertain. When contacted, Swiss Post acknowledged awareness of Baidu's interest but emphasized that "there is currently no formal partnership or cooperation agreement in place," while noting they "continuously evaluate future mobility options based on evolving customer requirements and technological innovations."

The ambiguity hasn't deterred Baidu, whose executives view Switzerland as merely the first step in a broader European strategy. According to internal documents reviewed by this newspaper, Turkey represents the second target market for Apollo Go's European rollout, with preliminary discussions already underway with transportation authorities in Istanbul and Ankara.

From Chinese Metropolises to European Streets

The European push comes as Baidu's Apollo Go service continues its rapid domestic growth. The service currently operates in more than 10 Chinese cities, with its characteristic white-and-blue vehicles becoming increasingly familiar sights in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The November 2024 issuance of pilot licenses in Hong Kong marked another milestone, with expanded testing permitted earlier this month.

The numbers tell a compelling story: Apollo Go provided 1.1 million rides in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone—a 36% year-over-year increase—while cumulative rides reached 9 million by January 2025. This growth trajectory provides the confidence underpinning Baidu's international ambitions.

For Robin Li, Baidu's founder and CEO, 2025 represents what he recently told investors would be "a paramount year" for global expansion. Rather than building wholly-owned fleets abroad, the company is pursuing what Li described as an "asset-light" approach by identifying potential partners among existing taxi companies and fleet operators across Europe.

"Why reinvent the wheel when we can leverage existing transportation networks?" said a Baidu executive who requested anonymity. "Our technology can transform conventional fleets into autonomous ones, creating new revenue opportunities for local operators while accelerating mobility innovation across Europe."

The Chinese Autonomous Wave Crashing on European Shores

Baidu's European ambitions don't exist in isolation but rather represent part of a broader push by Chinese autonomous vehicle companies seeking international footholds. The trend reflects both technological confidence and economic necessity as these companies look beyond China's increasingly saturated domestic market.

WeRide, another Chinese autonomous driving pioneer, has already established operations in more than 30 cities across 10 countries. Its presence in Europe includes robobus trials in Valence, France, and a highly visible shuttle service at Zurich Airport—the very location where Baidu hopes to demonstrate its own technology within months.

Meanwhile, Pony.ai secured testing permits in Luxembourg earlier this year, establishing a strategic European research and development hub in a country known for its favorable regulatory environment toward transportation innovation. And Momenta, a Beijing-based autonomous driving startup backed by major investors including Tencent and Mercedes-Benz, has formed a partnership with Uber to deploy robotaxis across global markets.

"Chinese companies have rapidly closed the technological gap with Western competitors," explained Georg, a mobility analyst. "What we're witnessing isn't just commercial expansion but a fundamental shift in the global innovation landscape for autonomous transportation."

This shift becomes particularly evident through the September 2024 partnership between WeRide and Uber, which has already resulted in robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi since December 2024, with subsequent expansion to Dubai and 15 additional cities. Although not yet in Europe, this partnership demonstrates the feasibility of Chinese autonomous systems integrating with Western mobility platforms.

Market Potential Versus Mounting Challenges

The prize justifying these ambitious moves is substantial. The global robotaxi market, valued at approximately $0.4 billion in 2023, is projected to explode to between $45.7 billion and $110.5 billion by 2030—representing compound annual growth rates between 64.1% and 91.8%.

Goldman Sachs analysts project that by 2030, more than half a million robotaxis will operate across major Chinese cities alone, while robotaxi penetration in the global ride-hailing fleet is expected to grow from less than 1% in 2025 to 9% by 2030. This transformation would drive market value from today's modest $54 million to $47 billion annually, creating enormous revenue potential for early movers.

Yet the expansion faces significant headwinds. Just yesterday, a Pony.ai robotaxi caught fire in Beijing—the first such incident for the company. While no collision occurred and no injuries were reported, the incident raises fresh safety concerns about the technology, particularly as it seeks approval in safety-conscious European markets.

More formidable than technical challenges are the geopolitical ones. In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a sweeping ban on connected vehicles from China and Russia, citing national security concerns. The rule effectively prevents Chinese autonomous vehicle companies from testing their systems on American roads.

While Europe hasn't implemented similar blanket restrictions, individual countries have intensified scrutiny of Chinese technology investments, particularly those involving data collection and critical infrastructure. France and Germany have both strengthened their foreign investment screening mechanisms, potentially complicating Baidu's expansion beyond Switzerland and Turkey.

Data Security: The Elephant in the Room

The most contentious issue surrounding Chinese autonomous vehicles in Europe centers on data security. Robotaxis continuously collect vast amounts of data—including high-definition mapping information, traffic patterns, and occasionally images of pedestrians and infrastructure—raising concerns about where and how this data is stored and processed.

"European regulators will demand unprecedented transparency regarding data handling practices," said Sophia, a Brussels-based technology policy advisor. "Any Chinese company operating autonomous vehicles in the EU will need to demonstrate conclusively that sensitive data remains within European borders and complies fully with GDPR requirements."

Baidu appears to have anticipated these concerns. According to sources familiar with the company's European strategy, its Switzerland entity will include dedicated data processing facilities designed to ensure all information collected by its vehicles remains within Europe. The company is also reportedly developing specialized security protocols that would prevent unauthorized data transfers outside the continent.

"We recognize the unique sensitivity surrounding autonomous vehicle data in Europe," said the Baidu executive. "Our approach will be to exceed regulatory requirements rather than merely comply with them, establishing new standards for how international technology companies operate within the European context."

The First-Mover Advantage

Despite the challenges, analysts emphasize that established leaders in the autonomous driving sector, including Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.ai, maintain significant advantages due to the "high technological entry barrier" facing newcomers. Their edge derives from sophisticated algorithms refined through years of development and the massive data sets accumulated through millions of automated driving miles—assets that can't be easily replicated.

For Baidu specifically, the European expansion represents not just a new market opportunity but a chance to reshape global perceptions of Chinese technology. By establishing itself in Switzerland—a country renowned for its precision engineering and technological standards—the company aims to demonstrate that Chinese autonomous systems can meet or exceed the most stringent Western expectations.

"The first Chinese company to successfully deploy robotaxis at scale in Europe will establish not just market leadership but also the benchmark against which all subsequent entrants will be measured," Mueller observed. "This explains the urgency we're seeing from multiple Chinese players targeting the European market simultaneously."

As 2025 unfolds, Baidu's European ambitions will test not just the company's technological capabilities but also the continent's openness to Chinese innovation in sensitive sectors. The outcome will shape not only the future of urban mobility across Europe but potentially the broader technological relationship between East and West in an increasingly fragmented global economy.

"Switzerland today, Europe tomorrow," the Baidu executive summarized. "But our vision extends beyond merely operating robotaxis. We aim to become an essential part of Europe's autonomous transportation infrastructure—a trusted provider of mobility solutions that enhance safety, reduce congestion, and accelerate the transition to sustainable urban transportation."