Uber riders in parts of Dubai can now hail a car with nobody behind the wheel. Baidu's fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles have gone live on the Uber platform, giving the city one of the first public deployments of this kind on Uber's global network.
The robotaxis are being run by New Horizon Luxury Transport, which operates the fleet on the ground. The move is the opening chapter of a multi-year strategic partnership between Uber and Baidu, rather than a one-off trial.
How riders get matched with a robotaxi
Anyone requesting an UberX or Uber Comfort trip in the covered zones may be paired with a fully driverless Apollo Go vehicle. Riders who specifically want the experience can select a dedicated 'Autonomous' option in the Uber app, which increases the chance of being matched with one of the robotaxis.
For now, the service is limited to select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, so not every Dubai resident will see one on their next ride.
Inside the RT6
The vehicles are Apollo Go's sixth-generation RT6, a purpose-built, fully electric robotaxi designed from the ground up for driverless operation rather than a retrofitted regular car. Each RT6 seats up to three passengers and carries more than 30 sensors that handle perception and process data in real time as the vehicle moves through traffic.
Apollo Go is not new to this kind of operation. The service has run in 28 cities worldwide and its fleets have racked up over 350 million autonomous kilometers globally, of which more than 240 million were fully driverless.
Why Dubai is the starting point
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's Global Head of Autonomous, said the launch is central to the companies' shared ambitions: "Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally. Launching in Dubai marks the first time our multi-partner vision comes to life on public roads, demonstrating how combining advanced autonomous technology with our global marketplace can accelerate an electric, shared and autonomous future."
Nan Yang, Vice President of Baidu and General Manager of its Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group, framed Dubai as more than a launch city: "This launch marks a meaningful milestone in our partnership with Uber, with Dubai serving as the launchpad as the partnership grows its footprint. Dubai is also the first city where we've successfully established a dual-model offering both self-operated and partner-based autonomous ride-hailing services internationally. With this launch, we are excited to offer another way for riders in Dubai to enjoy the benefits of autonomous mobility."
For Dubai residents, the practical takeaway is straightforward: in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, an UberX or Uber Comfort booking might now arrive as a driverless RT6, and those keen to try it can flag their preference directly in the app.