Uber partners with Chinese tech giant to roll out driverless vehicles across multiple global markets

Uber is joining forces with Chinese tech company Baidu to roll out thousands of driverless vehicles on its ride-sharing platform across multiple international markets.The move – which combines Uber's expansive network and Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles – comes as tech companies compete to launch self-driving taxis commercially, according to Reuters.UBER TO OFFER DRIVELESS RIDES WITH WAYMO IN AUSTIN, ATLANTAThe first deployments are expected to happen later this year in the Middle East and Asia.The partnership "represents a major milestone in deploying our technology on a global scale," Baidu co-founder and CEO Robin Li said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.UBER OFFERING DRIVERLESS RIDES IN MAJOR TEXAS CITYEarlier this year, Uber and alphabet-owned Waymo began offering driverless rides in Austin and Atlanta. Uber also announced in May that it is partnering with German auto manufacturer Volkswagen to launch all-electric, autonomous shared rides in the U.S. by 2026.UBER PARTNERS WITH VOLKSWAGEN TO LAUNCH AUTONOMOUS SHARED RIDES BY 2026Tesla rolled out its new robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, last month with a small fleet of self-driving vehicles. Following the launch, riders reportedly documented multiple incidents of driving issues with the vehicles, according to Reuters.Waymo has similarly faced complaints, as some California residents have said the company's driverless electric cars' charging lots generate near-constant noise.Uber currently operates in more than 15,000 cities, according to its website. Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi services are available in 15 cities and have completed more than 11 million rides, as of May, according to Reuters.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREUber and Baidu did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei FOX Business Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei FOX Business