Baidu's Robotaxi Service Hits 1.1 Million Paid Rides In Q4, Expands To Hong Kong As 1st Operator Allowed To Test Autonomous Vehicles

The Future Fund Managing Partner Gary Black highlighted key metrics from Baidu Inc.’s BIDU autonomous driving progress, noting that the company’s robotaxi service achieved 1.1 million paid rides in the fourth quarter of 2024, jumping 36% year-over-year, according to his post on X.

What Happened: Black emphasized three critical developments: the service’s transition to 100% fully driverless operations with no remote operators, a cumulative total of 9 million robotaxi rides, and Baidu’s groundbreaking entry into Hong Kong as the first ride-hailing operator permitted to test its autonomous platform there.

The Hong Kong expansion in November marks Baidu’s first venture into a right-hand drive, left-hand traffic market, demonstrating the platform’s adaptability to different driving environments.

During the earnings call, CEO Robin Li underscored the company’s decade-long investment in autonomous driving technology, noting that Apollo Go operates in “one of the most challenging environments” due to complex traffic conditions in China.

The company deploys its sixth-generation autonomous vehicle, the RT6, specifically designed for robotaxi operations.

From today's $BIDU earnings call on autonomous driving:
– # paid robotaxi rides 1.1M in 4Q +36% YoY
– cumulative robotaxi rides now 9 million
– 100% fully driverless (no remote operator)
– In Nov, Baidu was granted a permit to test its robotaxi platform in Hong Kong – the first… pic.twitter.com/45Mxskhvyy
— Gary Black (@garyblack00) February 18, 2025

Why It Matters: Baidu plans to accelerate its growth through an asset-light approach, partnering with mobility service providers and local entities for efficient scaling. This expansion comes as the company competes with Tesla Inc. TSLA and Alphabet Inc.‘s GOOGL GOOG Waymo in the autonomous vehicle space.

The robotaxi milestone accompanied Baidu’s broader fourth-quarter results, where the company reported revenue of $4.68 billion, exceeding analyst estimates despite a 2% year-over-year decline. The company’s AI Cloud business showed particular strength, growing 26% during the quarter.

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