RTA and Baidu’s Apollo Go to Launch Autonomous Taxis in 2025

Photo: Dubai Government Media Office

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Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with Baidu’s Apollo Go, a leader in autonomous vehicles, to launch autonomous taxis across Dubai. The pilot program will start in 2025 with 50 autonomous cars, and the service will officially begin in 2026. Over the next three years, the fleet will expand to 1,000 vehicles.

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The agreement was signed in a ceremony attended by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board at RTA, and Mr. Halton Niu, General Manager of Baidu's Intelligent Driving Group (IDG) for overseas business. The RTA’s CEO of Public Transport Agency, Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, signed the agreement on behalf of RTA, while Mr. Liang Zhang, General Manager of Baidu’s IDG for the MENA region, signed on behalf of Baidu. Other representatives from both organizations were also present.

As part of the agreement, Baidu will bring its latest autonomous taxis, the Apollo Go RT6, to Dubai. These taxis are equipped with 40 sensors to ensure high safety and automation standards. The RT6 model has already had great success in China and is now ready to be tested in Dubai. The first 50 vehicles will start operations soon, with plans to gradually increase the number of taxis to 1,000 within three years, following a specific set of efficiency and service quality guidelines. This will be Apollo Go's first major international expansion outside of China and Hong Kong.

So far, Baidu’s Apollo Go service has driven more than 150 million kilometers and completed over 10 million rides across several Chinese cities. Apollo Go is also known for operating driverless taxis, marking a major milestone in the autonomous vehicle industry.

Global Cooperation

Al Tayer shared his excitement about the MoU, highlighting Baidu’s role in launching the first autonomous taxi service in China. He praised the company’s efforts to combine artificial intelligence, big data, and automation technologies to shape the future of smart cities.

He said: “This MoU aligns with our leadership’s direction to strengthen partnerships with top global companies and bring advanced, sustainable transport solutions to Dubai. It also supports our goal of turning 25% of all trips in Dubai into autonomous journeys by 2030. This is part of Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which began with testing autonomous vehicles in 2016.”

Dubai’s Ambitious Goals

Al Tayer added, “Self-driving transport is no longer a concept; it’s becoming a reality. Global companies are speeding up the development of the technology, and governments are focusing on making the rules, licenses, and infrastructure necessary for autonomous vehicles. RTA is committed to keeping Dubai a leader in autonomous mobility by testing self-driving cars, air taxis, and marine transport, with the ultimate goal of achieving our Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy.”

Technology for the Future

Mr. Halton Niu, General Manager of Baidu’s IDG overseas business, emphasized the collaboration’s significance, saying, “Dubai’s commitment to embracing new technologies is clear, and our partnership is a major step toward the UAE becoming a global leader in autonomous driving. Apollo Go is focused on offering safe, sustainable, and efficient mobility services to cities worldwide.”

Mr. Liang Zhang also commented on the partnership, saying, “This is Apollo Go’s largest international expansion yet. It highlights Dubai’s determination to be a leader in next-generation transport innovation.”

Improving Traffic Safety

Ahmed Bahrozyan spoke about the benefits of autonomous transport, noting that it will help people who cannot drive, like children and the elderly, gain more independence. It will also save time, reduce stress, and improve road safety. He said, "Self-driving cars are the future of transportation and will play an essential role in how we move around."

He continued, "This agreement with Baidu’s Apollo Go will help us develop autonomous driving technology in Dubai. It will also allow us to share knowledge and experiences through field trials and create a plan for running autonomous taxis."