- Apollo Go has launched fully autonomous commercial operations in Dubai, following a brief suspension of operations in the UAE earlier this month due to regional conflicts.
- WeRide has also announced the official launch of fully autonomous robotaxi commercial operations in Dubai in partnership with Uber.
Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, has launched fully driverless commercial operations in Dubai as planned after a brief disruption.
Starting March 30, the public in Dubai can experience the fully driverless mobility service via the Apollo Go app, the company announced on Tuesday.
The move marks a significant expansion for the Chinese tech giant in the Middle East, following a brief suspension earlier this month caused by regional conflict.
Under the guidance of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Apollo Go's robotaxi fleet is being rolled out for local commercial operations in batches, it said.
Apollo Go has become the first and only one-stop proprietary platform to offer driverless services in Dubai, building the largest fleet of its kind in the city, the company said.
The firm has adopted a dual-track business strategy for its operations to enhance the coverage and everyday convenience of its autonomous driving services.
It signed an exclusive agreement with Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), the city's largest state-owned taxi operator, to accelerate the roll-out of autonomous driving services through technology export.
Separately, Apollo Go has struck a global partnership with mobility platform Uber Technologies. In the near future, local users will also be able to hail Apollo Go robotaxis directly at designated locations via the Uber app.
Last month, Baidu and Uber jointly announced that users would be able to access Apollo Go's fully autonomous driving services at designated locations in the Jumeirah area via the Uber app starting in March.
Another Chinese company, WeRide, also announced that it had officially launched fully driverless robotaxi commercial operations in Dubai in partnership with Uber.
The launch of commercial operations overcomes significant geopolitical challenges and associated security risks stemming from the recent sudden escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
Earlier this month, both Apollo Go and WeRide temporarily suspended their autonomous driving tests and commercial operations in Dubai following missile strikes that affected the United Arab Emirates.
The Jumeirah area, which was affected by the attacks, is the core district where the Chinese firm is partnering with Uber to provide autonomous ride-hailing services.
Apollo Go is currently operating in 26 cities globally and has completed more than 20 million autonomous driving orders to date.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Apollo Go provided 3.4 million fully driverless rides, surging more than 200% from a year earlier, according to Baidu's earnings report released late last month.
