In May, Uber Technologies and May Mobility, an AV technology firm, entered into a multi-year collaboration to introduce AVs in US cities. The initiative is poised to launch thousands of AVs on the Uber platform, with Arlington, Texas, anticipated to be the first city by the end of this year.

Uber just announced a deal today with the company that runs one of the largest robotaxi fleets in China, as the ridehail giant nears its goal of becoming the world’s ultimate autonomous vehicle clearinghouse.

Jefferies views Baidu's (BIDU) newly announced partnership with Uber (UBER) for robotaxi services in Asia (excl. China) and the Middle East as a positive, which underscores the Chinese company's leading position in autonomous technology.