Baidu launches fully driverless ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi with AutoGo
- Perry Richardson
- 49 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Baidu has launched a fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi through its Apollo Go platform, marking one of the Middle East’s first large-scale public deployments of driverless taxis.
The service has gone live on Yas Island and is available to the public via the AutoGo smartphone application, allowing passengers to hail vehicles with no safety driver or human operator onboard. The launch represents a key step in the commercialisation of autonomous mobility in the United Arab Emirates.
The operation is being delivered in partnership with AutoGo, a subsidiary of regional mobility group K2. The collaboration was first announced in March 2025, when the two companies outlined plans to establish Abu Dhabi’s largest fully driverless fleet.
In mid-November 2025, the partners secured one of Abu Dhabi’s first permits allowing fully driverless vehicles to operate commercially. A subsequent agreement committed both sides to scaling the fleet to hundreds of autonomous vehicles by 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and phased geographic expansion.
Apollo Go robotaxis go live on Yas Island as partners begin commercial rollout across the emirate
Yas Island has been designated as a permitted zone for fully driverless operations, with further expansion planned across Abu Dhabi. The next phase will include Reem Island, Al Maryah Island and Saadiyat Island, before extending into additional districts across the wider emirate.
Apollo Go enters the UAE with a substantial operational track record. The service has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometres globally, including over 140 million kilometres without a safety driver. As of late 2025, Apollo Go was operating in 22 cities, completing more than 17 million rides, with weekly trip volumes exceeding 250,000.
Liang Zhang, Managing Director for EMEA at Baidu Apollo, said: “Moving from an initial partnership agreement to launching live, fully driverless operations for the public in a span of just a few months is a remarkable milestone.
“This speed of execution highlights the technical readiness of Apollo Go, the strong operational capabilities of our partnership, and the steadfast support of local regulatory bodies."
Sean Teo, Managing Director of K2, said: "AutoGo's transition to live robotaxi operations marks an important milestone in Abu Dhabi's autonomous mobility journey.
"Launching the service at the start of the year reflects our focus on execution and long-term value creation. By introducing robotaxi services in real urban environments and scaling across key districts, we are moving decisively from development to deployment—delivering autonomy that is practical, safe, and ready for everyday use."
