Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) is set to launch fully driverless robotaxi services in Dubai by the first quarter of 2026, marking a major step in the Chinese tech company’s expansion of autonomous vehicle operations outside of China.
Liang Zhang, managing director of EMEA at Baidu’s Apollo Go division, revealed Thursday that the company has finalized an agreement with Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority to roll out the service.
Apollo Go plans to operate more than 1,000 robotaxis across Dubai by late 2027 or early 2028, Zhang added.
Currently, Baidu is testing 50 robotaxis in approved zones under licenses for test driving and autonomous operation, though each vehicle still requires a human safety officer on board.
“The policy in the Middle East is relatively open,” Zhang said. “The region is also quite open for new technology so we will likely take the Middle East as a key region for commercialization and scaling up fleet size.”
Zhang emphasized that Dubai’s robust transport infrastructure and strong demand make the city an ideal environment for robotaxi services, as Baidu seeks to replicate the success of its autonomous vehicle program in Wuhan, China.
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