Dubai taps Baidu as first to conduct driverless vehicle tests

Apollo Go, the ride-hailing platform owned by China’s Baidu, will be the first company to test fully driverless vehicles in Dubai, after receiving a permit from the emirate’s Road Transport Authority.

The authorization comes as Baidu officially launched a hub for autonomous vehicles in downtown Dubai, which includes charging and maintenance facilities and will eventually serve as a command center for a fleet of more than 1,000 robotaxis.

Uber and WeRide launched driverless taxis in parts of neighboring emirate Abu Dhabi in November.

Both emirates have ambitious plans for driver automation, with Dubai targeting 25% autonomous total transportation by 2030 and Abu Dhabi setting a similar goal for 2040.