Baidu (09888) stock is soaring in the pre-market session on Tuesday, jumping 5.06% following reports of a significant milestone achieved by its driverless car unit, Apollo Go. The surge in stock price reflects investor optimism about Baidu's progress in the autonomous driving sector.

According to CNBC, Apollo Go has surpassed 250,000 fully driverless weekly ride orders as of October 31. This achievement puts Baidu's autonomous vehicle service on par with Alphabet's Waymo, which reported similar figures in April. The milestone underscores Baidu's growing strength in the competitive autonomous driving market and its potential for future revenue growth.

Adding to investor confidence, Apollo Go reported an impressive safety record, with only one airbag deployment per 10.1 million kilometers driven and no major accidents involving human injury or death. This safety performance is crucial for public acceptance and regulatory approval of autonomous driving technology, potentially positioning Baidu for long-term success in this innovative field.