Chinese tech giant Baidu is apparently eyeing Malaysia and Singapore as potential locations to launch its Apollo Go robotaxi service. According to Bloomberg, which cited a source familiar with the matter, the move is part of the company’s broader plan to expand its global presence.
Baidu is currently in discussions with potential partners to explore suitable business models for the two markets, Bloomberg’s report adds. The source is also claiming that company CEO, Robin Li, is considering mobility service providers, local taxi companies and third-party fleet operators for an asset-light approach.
Apollo Go reportedly deployed more than 1,000 self-driving vehicles worldwide, with most of which are in China. Bloomberg adds that the service had also recorded over 11 million rides by the first quarter of 2025 – surpassing the 10 million mark by Waymo, which is operated by Google’s parent company Alphabet.
Apart from Malaysia and Singapore, it is said that the Baidu-owned service is looking to enter Europe and Turkiye. It also reportedly held talks with Switzerland’s Swiss Post-operated PostAuto in efforts to roll out a robotaxi service in the country.
While the concept of having self-driving taxis is interesting, concerns over the technology’s reliability and safety are apparent. Baidu’s Apollo Go has a clean track record so far, though there have been some close shaves as well as mishaps reported.
According to Business Insider, one of its robotaxis nearly crashed during a ride earlier this year, which resorted to a company remote safety driver disengaging the autonomous system and taking over controls to complete the journey. The same report also mentioned an incident which happened in July, involving a pedestrian who was hit by an Apollo Go robotaxi.
(Source: Bloomberg / Business Insider)
