Dubai is set to trial 50 self-driving taxis operated by Baidu's Apollo Go, marking the Chinese tech giant's first commercial expansion outside mainland China and Hong Kong. The initiative, agreed under a memorandum of understanding with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), targets a large-scale autonomous ride-hailing launch by early 2026.
RTA Partners with Baidu Apollo Go for Autonomous Taxi Trial
The RTA has signed the MoU with Apollo Go — Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing arm — to begin testing on designated Dubai public roads. Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA's Public Transport Agency, signed the agreement alongside Liang Zhang, Baidu Intelligent Driving Group's MENA General Manager.
RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer described the partnership as "a pivotal step" toward Dubai's autonomous transport objectives, adding that "self-driving transport has become a reality, with global companies accelerating the development."
RT6 Fleet: 40 Sensors, Built for Full Autonomy
Apollo Go will deploy its flagship RT6 model — the most advanced vehicle in its autonomous taxi fleet. Each RT6 is equipped with 40 sensors and detectors, engineered to deliver the highest standards of safety and driverless operation without human intervention.
The data-collection and testing phase will begin with 50 vehicles. The fleet is slated to grow to 1,000 autonomous taxis over the following three years, contingent on service efficiency and performance benchmarks.
Dubai's 2030 Autonomous Transport Strategy
The trial advances Dubai's Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to convert 25% of all journeys in the emirate into autonomous trips across multiple transport modes by 2030. Autonomous taxi services are expected to improve road safety, extend mobility access to the elderly and children, and reduce operational costs across the network.
Regulators also plan to use the trial data to shape the legal framework, build the necessary infrastructure, and refine operational procedures required for city-wide driverless deployment.
Apollo Go's Global Track Record
Baidu Apollo Go is the world's largest autonomous vehicle fleet operator, running services across more than 20 cities globally. The company has logged over 150 million kilometres of safe autonomous driving and completed more than 10 million driverless trips — a safety record it intends to replicate in Dubai.
The Dubai partnership positions the emirate as a global hub for intelligent mobility, reinforcing UAE ambitions to lead the next generation of transport technology.
