An Apollo Go driverless taxi spotted in Dubai with the Burj Al Arab behind it; the service is set to roll out on the Uber app in Jumeirah soon.
Dubai residents will soon be able to book a fully driverless taxi through the Uber app.
Baidu and Uber Technologies, in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority, confirmed that Apollo Go vehicles will begin operating in Dubai within the coming month.
The service will initially launch in select parts of Jumeirah before expanding to other areas based on operational performance and regulatory approvals.
How Booking Will Work
Passengers booking rides within the designated service zone may be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle when selecting UberX or Uber Comfort. A new “Autonomous” option will also appear inside the Uber app.
Fleet operations will be managed by New Horizon, a third-party operator.
The rollout integrates Apollo Go’s driverless system with Uber’s existing rider base, enabling autonomous mobility to scale without requiring a separate app.
Aligning With Dubai’s 2030 Autonomous Goal
The launch supports Dubai’s broader transport strategy. The emirate aims to make 25 percent of all transportation trips autonomous by 2030.
Apollo Go brings global operating experience to the partnership. The company has logged over 240 million autonomous kilometres worldwide, including more than 140 million kilometres in fully driverless mode. It currently operates in 22 cities and has completed more than 17 million rides as of October 31, 2025.
Weekly ride volumes exceed 250,000 trips.
Strategic Expansion Beyond China
The Dubai deployment marks a major overseas milestone for Apollo Go. In January, the company inaugurated Apollo Go Park in Dubai, its first international operations and management hub.
In December, Baidu and Uber also announced plans to expand autonomous ride-hailing services to London, a right-hand-drive market. Dubai’s rollout signals the Middle East as a key region in Apollo Go’s global expansion strategy.
Uber’s Broader Autonomous Strategy
Uber positions itself as a global scaling platform for autonomous vehicle companies. With more than 20 autonomous vehicle partners completing millions of trips annually, the company integrates multiple AV providers under its network.
The Apollo Go autonomous taxi Dubai launch reinforces Uber’s strategy of embedding autonomous fleets into its core ride-hailing ecosystem.
A Step Toward Autonomous Urban Mobility
Dubai has invested heavily in smart mobility infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to attract autonomous vehicle operators. The Apollo Go deployment adds momentum to that agenda.
If scaled successfully, the service could accelerate public adoption of driverless transport and strengthen Dubai’s ambition to lead in autonomous mobility innovation.
