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China’s Baidu has officially hit a major milestone in the global autonomous driving race. As of October 31, the company’s Apollo Go robotaxi unit has surpassed 250,000 fully driverless rides per week, matching the same level of activity reported earlier this year by Alphabet’s Waymo in the United States.

This achievement underscores Baidu’s rapid growth in autonomous mobility — a field where both Chinese and American tech titans are competing fiercely to define the future of transportation.

A Rapid Surge in Autonomous Operations

According to Baidu, the company’s robotaxis are now handling a quarter of a million rides weekly, representing a sharp rise from the 169,000 weekly rides averaged during the second quarter of 2024. During that period, Apollo Go logged about 2.2 million fully driverless trips, showing steady and aggressive scaling in operations.

To date, Apollo Go has completed over 17 million robotaxi ride orders, covering an impressive 240 million kilometers (149 million miles) on the road. Of those, 140 million kilometers have been driven completely without human drivers — a figure that highlights both the maturity and reliability of Baidu’s self-driving systems.

Safety Record and Performance Metrics

Safety remains a top focus for Baidu’s autonomous unit. The company revealed that on average, there is one airbag deployment for every 10.1 million kilometers driven, and no major accidents resulting in human injury or death have been reported so far. This strong safety record strengthens public confidence in China’s growing fleet of robotaxis and sets a new standard for large-scale deployment.

Global Expansion Beyond China

Apollo Go currently operates primarily in Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, but Baidu is steadily expanding its reach beyond mainland China. The company has launched or planned pilot projects in Hong Kong, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and most recently Switzerland — signaling an ambition to become a truly global player in the autonomous driving space.

Each expansion involves navigating strict local regulatory environments, which often require months of public road testing before companies are permitted to charge fares. Despite these challenges, Baidu’s progress suggests growing international trust in its technology.

Competition with Waymo and Other Rivals

Baidu’s latest figures place it side by side with Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving subsidiary, which reported 250,000 paid weekly rides across U.S. cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix earlier this year. Waymo has also partnered with Uber to expand operations to Austin and Atlanta. When contacted recently, Waymo did not provide updated figures, but its growth trajectory has remained strong since its April announcement.

Meanwhile, Chinese competitors Pony.ai and WeRide have yet to release updated performance data, but both have active testing and commercial operations underway in major Chinese cities, intensifying the local race for market leadership.

Strategic Outlook and Upcoming Announcements

Baidu is expected to release its next quarterly earnings on November 18, following its annual tech conference in Beijing on November 13, where analysts expect further announcements about advancements in AI integration, autonomous driving algorithms, and global partnerships.

The company’s rapid scaling of Apollo Go — combined with its strong safety record and international expansion — positions Baidu as a formidable challenger to Waymo’s early lead in the robotaxi industry.

A Defining Moment in the Global Robotaxi Race

As the global autonomous driving market accelerates, Baidu’s 250,000-weekly-ride milestone signals a pivotal moment. With both Baidu and Waymo hitting similar operational levels, the robotaxi sector is moving closer to widespread commercialization — a future where self-driving cars could redefine how cities move, commute, and connect.