Apollo Go, Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing unit, announced a strategic partnership with Lyft, a global mobility platform, on Monday, marking a significant step in the Chinese tech giant's international expansion.

According to the statement, Apollo Go will launch autonomous ride-hailing services in Europe via Lyft's vast transportation networks by 2026. Using its sixth-generation autonomous vehicles, the services will first launch in Germany and the United Kingdom.

The partnership also envisions expanding the fleet to several thousand vehicles across Europe in the following years, driving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility in the region, the companies said.

"This collaboration with Lyft to launch autonomous ride-hailing in Europe, starting with Germany and the UK, is a major milestone in Apollo Go's globalization strategy," said Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu.

Li added that Baidu will continue to deepen the integration of its cutting-edge autonomous driving technology with Lyft's operational expertise, delivering safer, greener and more efficient mobility experiences to users across Europe.

Lyft CEO David Risher also noted that as the Chinese tech heavyweight operates the world's largest autonomous ride-hailing platform, the cooperation is expected to bring invaluable experience to the table.

"This means we can offer the benefits of autonomous mobility — safety, reliability, and privacy — to millions of users across Europe," Risher said.

Apollo Go has been accelerating its global footprint through worldwide collaborations. Earlier this year, the company launched pilot services in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. More recently, it reached a separate agreement with Uber to integrate thousands of autonomous vehicles into Uber's global ride-hailing network.

The tech player is also playing a growing role in advancing smart mobility and enriching cultural tourism in China.

Earlier this month, the company launched Hainan province's first full-scenario autonomous ride-hailing service in the province's capital city of Haikou, with pilot routes covering major cultural and tourist landmarks such as Holiday Beach and Qilou Old Street.

Local residents and tourists can conveniently hail a ride via a mobile app or WeChat mini-program and have the option of activating a Hainan-style voice assistant during the ride, according to Apollo Go.

"I used to just see autonomous vehicles online, now it's actually in my city!" said a Haikou resident surnamed Yang.

"The ride was incredibly smart and user-friendly. You can even recline the seat and enjoy a massage. I can see that visitors are amazed by the high-tech vibe of transportation in Hainan," Yang said.

"We hope smart mobility can ease travel congestion during peak seasons while offering a unique experience that reflects both the convenience of the free trade port and the laid-back lifestyle of Hainan," said an official from the Hainan provincial department of culture, radio, film, television, publications and sports.

According to Apollo Go, the company has to date deployed over 1,000 autonomous vehicles across 15 cities globally, delivering more than 11 million rides, with domestic coverage including major cities such as Beijing; Shanghai; Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province; and Haikou.

Fan Feifei contributed to this story.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn