Chinese tech giant Baidu’s (BIDU) robotaxi unit Apollo Go is expanding rapidly, with its weekly rides as of October 31 exceeding 250,000 orders. A CNBC report noted this milestone, citing a spokesperson for the Apollo Go unit. Interestingly, the pace of adoption of Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis matches that of Alphabet’s (GOOGL) autonomous vehicle (AV) unit Waymo, which reported in late April that it had reached 250,000 weekly paid rides in the U.S.
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Baidu Bolsters Robotaxi Growth Story
Baidu’s Apollo Go unit has reportedly received 17 million robotaxi ride orders to date. The unit operates its robotaxis in Wuhan and parts of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen in mainland China. Baidu’s robotaxi service is also extending its footprint to Hong Kong, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Furthermore, the company recently announced a partnership with Switzerland’s PostBus to launch its AV service.
Baidu has also struck a deal with U.S. ride-sharing giant Uber Technologies (UBER) to operate its robotaxis in several international markets. Likewise, it has partnered with Lyft (LYFT) to run its Apollo Go robotaxis in Europe, starting in 2026.
Notably, the Chinese tech giant is seeking growth opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotaxis as its ad-driven search engine business is under pressure due to macroeconomic challenges in China.
The comparison between Baidu’s Apollo Go and Alphabet’s Waymo comes as Chinese and U.S. tech companies strive to establish their dominance in AI and other advanced technologies.
Is BIDU a Good Stock to Buy?
Currently, Wall Street has a Moderate Buy consensus rating on Baidu stock based on 11 Buys, five Holds, and two Sell recommendations. The average BIDU stock price target of $133.38 indicates 10.4% upside potential. Baidu stock has risen 43.4% year-to-date.
