Chinese tech giant Baidu is planning to expand its Apollo Go robotaxi service into Southeast Asia, with Singapore and Malaysia identified as potential first markets, according to reports from Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal citing sources familiar with the matter.
Apollo Go is currently in discussions with local partners to evaluate suitable business models for both countries. While Bloomberg suggests a launch could take place by the end of 2024, the Wall Street Journal reports that Baidu is targeting an official market entry in Southeast Asia by late 2025.
Launched in 2013, Baidu’s autonomous driving division has become one of China’s most prominent players in the field. As of May, Apollo Go had completed more than 11 million rides and expanded its services to 15 Chinese cities, according to Baidu’s Q1 earnings. The company now operates a global fleet of 1,000 robotaxis.
The service has also been making inroads internationally. In recent months, Apollo Go began road tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and received approval for passenger testing in Hong Kong, marking its debut in a right-hand-drive market. Additionally, Baidu plans to establish a presence in Switzerland later this year as part of its broader overseas strategy.
“Driven by declining hardware and algorithm costs, and lower operating expenses for fleet owners, the Chinese robotaxi market is forecast to expand dramatically,” the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Goldman Sachs. The firm projects the market could grow from $54 million this year to $47 billion by 2035.