BIDU(US:BIDU) 日经中文网·2025-08-24 00:34Core Viewpoint - Baidu is expanding its autonomous taxi service "Apollo Go" into overseas markets, leveraging its experience in China to target higher-priced markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe by 2026 [2][4]. Group 1: Business Expansion - Baidu's autonomous taxi service is currently operational in over 10 cities in China, including Wuhan and Beijing, with plans to enter Asian and Middle Eastern markets in the second half of 2025 and Europe in 2026 [2][4]. - The company has partnered with Uber to facilitate rides in Asia and the Middle East, and with Lyft to enter the European market, starting services in the UK and Germany in 2026 [5]. - Baidu aims to establish a strategic partnership with Autogo in the UAE, planning to deploy over 1,000 autonomous vehicles in Dubai by 2028 [7]. Group 2: Financial Performance - In Q2 2024, Baidu's autonomous driving business saw a 34% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching 10 billion yuan, with operational rides increasing to 2.2 million, 2.5 times that of the same period in 2023 [4]. - The company anticipates that its operations in Wuhan will break even by 2024 and become profitable by 2025, as the local taxi fares are significantly lower than in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai [7]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The autonomous taxi market in China is projected to reach $11.7 billion by 2030, indicating substantial growth potential [9]. - Baidu's sixth-generation autonomous vehicle "RT6" is priced at 200,000 yuan, which is less than half the cost of vehicles used by competitors like Waymo, enhancing its competitive edge [7][8]. Group 4: Challenges and Considerations - Baidu faces challenges in expanding overseas due to increasing concerns in Europe and the US regarding data privacy and security related to Chinese companies [9]. - Strategies to mitigate consumer resistance may include partnerships with local ride-hailing services and allowing local companies to own data [9].