Baidu’s Apollo Go is working with PostBus to deploy autonomous vehicles for an on-demand smart mobility service in Switzerland to complement the existing public transport system.

Initial fleet testing for AmiGo will begin in three cantons in eastern Switzerland this year with phased expansion to regular operations by the first quarter of 2027 at the latest. Once officially launched, the fully driverless service will offer seating for up to four passengers and allow ride-pooling.

The partnership has received backing from the cantons of St Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Thurgau, the Federal Office of Transport, the Federal Roads Office and the Touring Club of Switzerland.

PostBus is the public transport operator subsidiary of Swiss Post.

The service, designed to complement Switzerland’s public transport system, will deploy Apollo Go’s autonomous vehicles. By early 2027, customers will be able to book autonomous vehicles through a mobile app and travel seamlessly to their destinations, either privately or via carpooling.

“We are honoured to partner with an operator as reputable as PostBus to introduce autonomous ride-hailing service in Switzerland,” said Liang Zhang, managing director on Emea for Baidu Apollo. “As the world’s leading and China’s largest operator of level-four autonomous vehicles, we are bringing our globally proven technology and operational expertise gained from a fully driverless fleet operating in over a dozen cities to Europe. We will work closely with PostBus to enhance smart mobility in Switzerland, supplementing the existing public transport network and contributing to the nation’s reputation for innovation.”

Stefan Regli, CEO of PostBus, added: “Through AmiGo, we are bringing the mobility of the future to eastern Switzerland, flexibly, digitally and completely in line with our customers’ needs.”

Apollo Go brings its RT6 level-four autonomous vehicles and large-scale operational expertise to the initiative. Customised for the AmiGo platform, the fully electric vehicles will accommodate up to four passengers and come with a detachable steering wheel. The steering wheel is designed to be removed once the service transitions to regular and fully autonomous operation.

PostBus (www.postauto.ch), Apollo Go’s local partner, is a strong road-based public transportation company in Switzerland. As the operator of this service, PostBus is building on its role to deploy autonomous driving technology in the country.

The initial test runs, starting in December 2025, will use a pilot fleet for mapping trips without passengers and with safety drivers on board. In the first half of 2026, pilot operations will expand to a select group of users, still accompanied by safety drivers. Driverless trials are expected to commence later in 2026, paving the way for regular operations in the first quarter of 2027 at the latest, provided that all safety and quality requirements are met.

The current scope of the partnership marks the beginning of a long-term commitment and collaborative relationship. Building on PostBus’s public transport network and Apollo Go’s autonomous driving expertise, both partners will work together to expand the fleet gradually and bring intelligent, sustainable mobility services to more cities and communities across Switzerland.

Apollo Go (www.apollogo.com), owned by Baidu (www.baidu.com), operates a fully driverless fleet of over 1000 vehicles globally, and has accumulated over 200 million autonomous kilometres while maintaining a robust safety record. Its current footprint spans 16 cities globally, already covering Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. As of August 2025, Apollo Go has provided over 14 million rides to the public.