Baidu and Uber to debut Apollo Go driverless ride‑hailing in Dubai's Jumeirah

Baidu, Uber and Dubai RTA set driverless ride‑hailing debut in Jumeirah

Baidu Inc and Uber Technologies, in partnership with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, are launching a next phase of their global collaboration to offer Apollo Go fully autonomous ride‑hailing on the Uber app in Dubai. The service is expected to begin next month in select locations within the Jumeirah area, with deployment expanding across the city based on operational learnings and regulatory approvals. Passengers booking Uber Comfort or UberX may be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle or can choose an "Autonomous" option in the app for trips inside the service area.

Fleet operations for the initial rollout are handled by third‑party operator New Horizon, while the partners say outcomes from the Jumeirah pilot will shape safety protocols, rider experience, mapping and software updates, insurance frameworks, local workforce training and regulatory engagement. The companies describe the phased approach as designed to enable scaling across Dubai’s commercial, residential and tourist corridors over the coming years, contingent on local approvals and performance metrics.

Baidu and Uber frame the deployment as a strategic step in wider autonomy ambitions. Nan Yang, vice president of Baidu and general manager of the Intelligent Driving Group’s overseas unit, calls the move pivotal for delivering safe, efficient and accessible autonomous mobility globally. Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous, says the partnership will broaden consumer access to autonomous technology; Uber already works with more than 20 autonomous vehicle partners that complete millions of autonomous trips annually.

Lyft highlights partnerships with Baidu amid product and growth messaging

In related industry developments, Lyft’s chief executive David Risher defends the company’s recent quarterly results while underscoring autonomy partnerships, naming Baidu alongside others such as Waymo. Lyft signals plans to start placing self‑driving cars on roads in markets like Nashville in 2026 and is pursuing new user segments and acquisitions to bolster bookings and operational scale.

Baidu continues expanding overseas autonomy infrastructure

The Dubai rollout follows Baidu’s December announcement to deploy Apollo Go in London, a right‑hand‑drive market, and the inauguration in January of an Apollo Go Park in Dubai, the service’s first overseas facility. The company positions these moves as part of a broader push to support municipal goals — Dubai aims for 25% of trips to be autonomous by 2030 — and to refine technology and regulatory pathways for international scaling.