Uber has begun operating Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless service across its Dubai network, with plans to deploy “thousands” of autonomous vehicles in the emirate. The rollout uses Baidu’s sixth-generation RT6 robotaxi and will start in the Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim areas before expanding, the San Francisco-based company said. Riders can be matched to the driverless cars through UberX or Uber Comfort, or by selecting an “autonomous” option in the app.
“Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s head of autonomous mobility and delivery. “Launching in Dubai marks the first time our multi-partner vision comes to life on public roads, demonstrating how combining advanced autonomous technology with our global marketplace can accelerate an electric, shared and autonomous future.”
The launch adds to a growing push for self-driving services as the UAE prepares for the future of smart mobility. Uber already runs a driverless service in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Chinese firm WeRide, a 2024 launch that was its first international robotaxi service. The company has deep roots in the region, having paid 3.1 billion dollars for the homegrown ride-hailing service Careem in 2020, and it expanded further in July by acquiring Talabat’s parent, Delivery Hero, in a 14.8 billion dollar deal.
Baidu has also been active in the Emirates. Its Apollo Go service holds a number of UAE partnerships, including with Dubai Taxi Company, alongside which it plans to put more than 1,000 driverless cabs on the emirate’s roads. In January it received Dubai’s first testing permit for fully autonomous vehicles without a safety driver, and in March it partnered with the Abu Dhabi technology company K2 to run robotaxis on select routes. Apollo Go now operates in 28 cities worldwide.
Dubai is looking to make the technology a visible part of city life, and plans to issue autonomous vehicles with dedicated licence plates. “Dubai is also the first city where we’ve successfully established a dual-model offering both self-operated and partner-based autonomous ride-hailing services internationally,” said Nan Yang, a vice president at Baidu.
