Baidu’s autonomous driving unit Apollo Go has begun its public commercial operations in Abu Dhabi through a partnership with UAE-based K2’s autonomous mobility company AutoGo.
The companies have launched a fully autonomous ride-hailing service on Yas Island, where passengers can now book rides without a human driver using the AutoGo app.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
According to Baidu, this represents Apollo Go’s initial public deployment in Abu Dhabi.
The launch builds on a collaboration announced in March 2025, when Apollo Go and AutoGo agreed to work together on what they described as the emirate’s largest fully driverless fleet.
In mid-November 2025, the partners secured one of Abu Dhabi’s earliest permits for fully autonomous commercial operations and later signed an agreement to expand the fleet to several hundred vehicles by 2026.
Baidu Apollo EMEA managing director Liang Zhang 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.”
Following the debut on Yas Island, the companies plan a phased expansion across the capital.
The next areas identified for rollout include Reem Island, Al Maryah Island and Saadiyat Island, with further parts of the emirate to follow over time.
Apollo Go said its move into the UAE is underpinned by its autonomous driving platform and operational history.
The company reported that it has recorded more than 240 million autonomous kilometres worldwide, including over 140 million kilometres driven without a safety driver.
Its services are active in 22 cities, where weekly ride volumes have recently surpassed 250,000, and cumulative rides reached more than 17 million as of 31 October 2025.
K2 managing director Sean Teo added: “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.”
With the Abu Dhabi service now open to the public via the AutoGo app, the partners said they are continuing to scale operations, with the aim of establishing the emirate’s largest fully driverless fleet and contributing to Abu Dhabi’s broader smart city objectives.
Last December, Baidu unveiled plans to introduce its Apollo Go robotaxi service in London from this year through tie-ups with ride-hailing platforms Uber and Lyft.
Under the arrangements, Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles will be made available on both apps in the UK capital, subject to regulatory clearance.
