Dubai, Feb 10, 2026, 21:22 (GST)
- Within a month, Uber and Baidu aim to launch driverless ride-hailing services in Dubai’s Jumeirah district
- Riders can select an “Autonomous” option or be matched with UberX and Uber Comfort rides
- Baidu’s rollout pushes further beyond China and strengthens Uber’s effort to expand robotaxis via partnerships
Uber and China’s Baidu announced Tuesday they plan to launch Baidu’s Apollo Go self-driving taxis for ride-hailing in Dubai next month, introducing fully autonomous vehicles on the Uber app within parts of the Jumeirah district. They aim to expand the service citywide as operations mature and receive regulatory approval. Reuters
This launch is significant because it speeds Baidu’s entry into international markets and provides Uber with another real-world trial of its “robotaxis” — driverless taxis — as ride-hailing companies hunt for advantages beyond human drivers. Dubai’s clear focus on autonomy creates a unique blend of strong demand and supportive regulations.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) aims for autonomous vehicles to handle 25% of all trips by 2030, according to the companies involved. This ambitious target has transformed the emirate into a testing ground for companies eager to shift from pilot schemes to commercial operations.
The companies announced that passengers within the service zone can book an Apollo Go vehicle through UberX, Uber Comfort, or by choosing the “Autonomous” option in the app. A third-party operator, New Horizon, will oversee fleet management.
Nan Yang, Baidu’s VP in charge of its overseas intelligent driving division, called the Dubai launch a “pivotal step” in pushing autonomous mobility further. Uber’s Sarfraz Maredia said the company aims to “expand consumer access to autonomous technology” in key urban centers. Uber
The Dubai rollout expands on a partnership unveiled last year to deploy thousands of Baidu’s Apollo Go vehicles through Uber’s platform beyond the US and mainland China, the companies said. Baidu also partners with Lyft for robotaxi services in Europe, with London identified as a key target market.
Baidu has been running Apollo Go commercially in several Chinese cities since 2022. The company reported that the service now spans 22 cities and has completed over 17 million rides as of Oct. 31, 2025.
Apollo Go has surpassed 240 million autonomous kilometres, with over 140 million of those driven in fully driverless mode, the companies reported. Weekly rides recently surged past 250,000, they noted. Prnewswire
Uber sees the deal as another move toward positioning itself as a marketplace for autonomous vehicle developers instead of creating its own robotaxi fleet. Baidu, meanwhile, aims to leverage years of domestic experience into a scalable export model.
The companies noted that their Dubai operations will grow only after securing regulatory approval, with the rollout speed hinging on real-world feedback. Any safety mishap, service hiccup, or stricter regulations could delay expansion in a sector already burdened by high costs and intense oversight.
