Lyft to begin self-driving vehicle tests in London within weeks

Lyft will begin testing its Apollo Go RT6 self-driving vehicles on London streets in the next few weeks through a partnership with Baidu. Jeremy Bird, EVP Global Growth at Lyft, said the company chose London because of its complex road layout and the proven performance of Baidu's technology.

Testing timeline and expansion plans Bird stated that commercial testing in London is targeted for early next year, though a precise date remains uncertain. The company also plans to deploy the Apollo Go RT6 fleet in Germany and increase the number of autonomous vehicles across Europe in coming years.

Lyft acquired the Freenow platform in 2025 and said its autonomous vehicle strategy will combine human drivers with self-driving cars. Data from the company shows 91 per cent of its human drivers work fewer than 20 hours per week.

Government safety requirements The UK Government has taken steps to encourage companies to test self-driving vehicles on British roads rather than elsewhere in Europe. Officials have stated that autonomous vehicles must meet a higher safety standard than the average human driver before receiving approval.

Bird said trust is essential for the technology to operate alongside human drivers and that safety remains central to Lyft's development process. Other companies, including Wayve, are also conducting tests in London.