Apollo Go and Waymo Lead the Way: Scaling Up AI-Powered Autonomous Ride-Hailing Services

BEIJING, CHINA 19 March 2025 – As AI transforms global industries, the transportation sector is undergoing notable change. Autonomous driving technology is rapidly scaling, with top companies like Google’s Waymo and Baidu’s Apollo Go leading the way.Waymo, a pioneer in autonomous driving, has launched commercial operations in four major U.S. cities, providing approximately 150,000 rides per week, which demonstrates its scalability. Meanwhile, Baidu’s Apollo Go has established itself as the leader in China’s autonomous mobility sector and has achieved fully driverless operations as of February 2025. In Q4 2024, Apollo Go completed 1.1 million rides, averaging 12,000 rides per day, placing it among the largest global providers of autonomous ride-hailing services.

When autonomous driving reaches a scale of tens of thousands of rides per day, efficient operations become essential. The RT6 is one of Apollo Go’s key enablers for high-efficiency deployment. This fully autonomous vehicle is equipped with advanced battery-swapping technology, allowing each car to recharge in under four minutes. The time saved translates into the ability to serve more passengers. With these innovations, Apollo Go can deliver competitive and scalable services across more regions and cities.

The global expansion of autonomous mobility is drawing investments from both public and private sectors. In 2024, Apollo Go received Hong Kong’s first autonomous vehicle pilot licenses, marking its entry into right-hand drive markets like the UK, Singapore, Japan, and Australia, which make up a third of the global automotive market.

At the World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai, Baidu Co-founder and CEO Robin Li highlighted the long-term benefits of AI in transportation, while the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence proposed a fully autonomous vehicle fleet for future WGS events, potentially supported by Apollo Go’s technology.

As more cities invest in autonomous transportation, companies like Apollo Go and Waymo are proving that AI-driven mobility is no longer a distant vision—it is actively reshaping urban transportation today.