Baidu's Apollo Go plans to launch taxis with no steering wheels in Switzerland as the race for robotaxis in Europe heats up

Core Viewpoint - Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi unit is expanding its operations into Europe through a strategic partnership with PostBus in Switzerland, with plans to begin test drives in December 2023 and launch a fully driverless taxi service by 2027 [1][2]. Group 1: Partnership and Expansion - Baidu's Apollo Go has entered a strategic partnership with Swiss public transit operator PostBus to facilitate the introduction of robotaxis in Switzerland [1]. - The partnership aims to start test drives in December 2023, marking a significant step for Baidu in deploying its robotaxi services in Europe [2]. Group 2: Future Plans - By the first quarter of 2027, Baidu and PostBus plan to operate a public-facing fully driverless taxi service named "AmiGo," utilizing Apollo Go's RT6 electric vehicles [2]. - The companies intend to remove the steering wheels from the vehicles once the robotaxi service is operational [2]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Baidu is not alone in its European expansion; it has previously announced partnerships with Lyft and Uber to deploy robotaxis in the U.K. and Germany starting in 2026 [3]. - Other competitors, such as Pony.ai and Waymo, are also testing their robotaxi services in Europe, indicating a competitive race in the autonomous vehicle market [4].