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On June 12, 2026, the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) granted a special permit for Level 4 autonomous driving tests for the AmiGo service — a joint project between China’s Baidu (through its Apollo Go division) and PostBus, the bus operator owned by Swiss Post. Testing on public roads had actually already begun on June 1, 2026.

AmiGo is an on-demand mobility service developed jointly by Apollo Go and PostBus, and the FEDRO approval issued on June 12 covers Level 4 operations in eastern Switzerland. Open-road testing began on June 1, 2026 and covers an area of approximately 80 km² across the cantons of St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, and Appenzell Innerrhoden. For now, the vehicles are still operating with a safety operator on board.

The approval is being rolled out in stages. It confirms that the AmiGo vehicles and autonomous driving system meet Switzerland’s stringent safety and quality requirements, but does not yet constitute approval for fully driverless operation. Provided all safety and regulatory requirements are met, regular, fully autonomous rides are expected to launch in early 2027 — which, according to the companies involved, would make this one of the largest projects of its kind in European public transport.

The launch of testing in Switzerland is part of Apollo Go’s broader international expansion strategy. In the first quarter of 2026, Apollo Go completed 3.2 million fully autonomous rides, a 120 percent year-over-year increase, bringing the company’s cumulative total to more than 22 million rides across 27 cities worldwide. This overseas expansion coincides with separate, heightened regulatory scrutiny of Apollo Go’s operations in China, introduced in spring 2026 following a series of fleet safety incidents in Wuhan.

Switzerland’s decision is notable in that it stands in contrast to a number of measures taken by the European Union, of which Switzerland is not a member. EU commissioners have been moving to limit the influence of Chinese tech giants on the continent.

Sources:

1. “Baidu’s Apollo Go Expands European Footprint as AmiGo, in Partnership with PostBus, Receives Level 4 Regulatory Approval in Switzerland”, komunikat prasowy Baidu (PR Newswire), 12 czerwca 2026, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidus-apollo-go-expands-european-footprint-as-amigo-in-partnership-with-postbus-receives-level-4-regulatory-approval-in-switzerland-302799022.html
2. “Baidu Apollo Go wins Level 4 robotaxi approval in Switzerland as AmiGo”, Electrek, 16 czerwca 2026 https://electrek.co/2026/06/16/baidu-apollo-go-amigo-switzerland-level-4-approval/
3. “UE szykuje ograniczenia dla firm. Chce zmniejszyć zależność od Chin”, Rzeczpospolita, 18 maja 2026 r. https://www.rp.pl/handel/art44397751-bruksela-chce-ograniczyc-wplywy-chin-powstana-nowe-obowiazki-dla-firm
4. “Europejski przemysł w kleszczach. Przez chińską konkurencję i nadmierne regulacje [ANALIZA]”, Business Insider, Sonia Sobczyk-Grygiel, 9 lipca 2026 r. https://businessinsider.com.pl/gospodarka/europejski-przemysl-pod-presja-chin-i-regulacji-eksperci-ostrzegaja-przed-kryzysem/hrew9ds