Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan-based Turlov Private Holding Ltd (TPH) to explore the deployment of autonomous driving technology and driverless mobility services in Kazakhstan.
The agreement, signed ahead of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026) in Shanghai, marks Apollo Go’s first expansion into Central Asia as the company continues to grow its international robotaxi business.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev, attended the signing ceremony.
Partnership Targets Autonomous Mobility Deployment
Under the agreement, Apollo Go and TPH will combine their respective expertise to evaluate the introduction of autonomous mobility services in Kazakhstan.
Baidu said TPH will contribute local market resources and operational experience, while Apollo Go will provide its autonomous driving technology and experience in operating commercial robotaxi services.
The partnership represents the latest addition to Apollo Go’s international expansion strategy following recent developments in the Middle East, Europe and other Asian markets.
Global Robotaxi Network Continues to Grow
According to Baidu, Apollo Go had established operations in 27 cities worldwide as of May, including Hong Kong, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The company said the service had completed more than 22 million public rides by April 2026.
During the first quarter of 2026, Apollo Go recorded 3.2 million fully driverless ride orders, while weekly orders exceeded 350,000 at their peak in March.
Baidu also said Apollo Go’s autonomous fleet has accumulated more than 330 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileage worldwide, including over 220 million kilometers without a safety driver.
International Expansion Accelerates
Apollo Go has continued expanding into overseas markets over the past year.
In the Middle East, the company launched fully driverless commercial operations in Dubai at the end of March after signing an exclusive agreement with Dubai Taxi Company (DTC). Apollo Go has also entered into a global partnership with Uber Technologies to support international deployment.
In Europe, Apollo Go received approval last month to operate Level 4 robotaxis in Switzerland across an approximately 80-square-kilometer area spanning three eastern cantons, including St. Gallen. Road testing began on June 1.
The company also announced its entry into South Korea earlier this year, beginning with the Seoul metropolitan area. The move marked Apollo Go’s first expansion into an Asian market outside mainland China and Hong Kong.
