Baidu's Apollo Go penetrates Europe with Level 4 autonomous transit milestone in Switzerland
Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) announced that AmiGo, an on-demand autonomous mobility service developed through its Apollo Go intelligent driving division in partnership with Swiss Post's PostBus, has secured a special operating permit from Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) for highly automated (Level 4) operations.
The regulatory approval marks a major operational expansion into continental Europe, validating the global compliance and readiness of Baidu's autonomous vehicle framework.
The FEDRO permit authorizes hands-free, open-road pilot trials across an 80-square-kilometer service area spanning three cantons in Eastern Switzerland: St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, and Appenzell Innerrhoden.
The ongoing trials are currently conducted with trained safety operators on board.
Provided that initial phases meet the country's stringent safety, technical, and operational requirements, regular fully driverless public transport operations are projected to launch by early 2027.
The ride-pooling service will deploy Baidu's purpose-built RT6 fully electric vehicles—which accommodate up to four passengers and feature over 30 onboard sensors—monitored remotely via a centralized command facility.
The Swiss pilot represents Europe's largest planned automated public transport system of its kind, positioned strategically to supplement fixed-line public transit in rural, alpine, or off-peak corridors rather than replace existing infrastructure.
The European milestone follows significant commercial momentum for Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing division globally.
During the first quarter of 2026, Apollo Go delivered 3.2 million fully driverless rides worldwide, representing a 120% increase year-over-year.
As of May 2026, the service has provided more than 22 million cumulative rides across 27 cities, accumulating over 330 million autonomous driving kilometers—including 220 million kilometers operated under fully driverless conditions.
