Uber Technologies has started operating Baidu's Apollo Go driverless service in its Dubai network, with plans to deploy "thousands" of the autonomous vehicles in the emirate.
The service, which will use Baidu's sixth-generation RT6 robotaxi, will initially be available in the Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim areas, with plans to expand, San Francisco-based Uber said in a statement on Thursday.
Uber already has a driverless service in Abu Dhabi in partnership with WeRide.
Riders can use Apollo Go by being matched to the driverless cars via UberX or Uber Comfort, or by selecting the "autonomous" option on the app.
“Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, head of autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber.
“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.”
There is a growing focus on self-driving services as the UAE prepares for the future of smart mobility.
Companies developing autonomous technology have been racing to put their vehicles on roads. Uber paid $3.1 billion to acquire homegrown ride-hailing service Careem in 2020, and Beijing-based Baidu has also been active in the Emirates.
Uber has a partnership with China's WeRide for robotaxis in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The team-up in the UAE capital in 2024 was Uber's first international driverless service launch. Uber also expanded its portfolio by acquiring Talabat parent Delivery Hero in a $14.8 billion deal in July.
Baidu's Apollo Go service has a number of UAE partnerships, including Dubai Taxi Company, with which it plans to deploy 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.
In March, Apollo Go partnered with Abu Dhabi technology company K2 to operate robotaxis on select routes in the emirate. Apollo Go is now present in 28 cities globally.
The emirate also aims to make autonomous fleets more recognisable by issuing the 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.
