Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 13, On November 11, Baidu, Inc. announced that its autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go and UAE-based autonomous mobility company AutoGo have expanded their partnership to scale up their fully driverless fleet to hundreds of vehicles in Abu Dhabi. The two companies have also obtained one of Abu Dhabi’s first commercial driverless operation permits from the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), allowing Apollo Go to provide paid robotaxi services to the public.

The announcement was made during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, held from November 10 to 15, where Apollo Go and AutoGo jointly showcased their autonomous vehicles. Since their initial partnership announcement in March, the fleet has undergone months of fully driverless testing on public roads to ensure reliability and safety under real-world traffic conditions.

With this new operational permit, Apollo Go becomes one of the first global autonomous driving platforms authorized to carry out fully driverless commercial operations in Abu Dhabi. Both companies plan to accelerate the deployment of large-scale robotaxi services by 2026, supporting Abu Dhabi’s long-term smart mobility development strategy aimed at integrating autonomous technologies into urban transportation systems.

As one of the world’s leading autonomous ride-hailing platforms, Apollo Go has accumulated over 240 million autonomous driving kilometers across 22 cities. The service recently exceeded 17 million cumulative rides, with a weekly ride volume reaching 250,000 as of October 31. Baidu emphasized that this fleet expansion in Abu Dhabi aligns with its broader vision of advancing global adoption of safe, efficient, and sustainable autonomous transportation.

The partnership between Apollo Go and AutoGo highlights continued progress in international cooperation for autonomous mobility. By combining Baidu’s technological expertise in artificial intelligence and autonomous driving with AutoGo’s regional operational experience, the collaboration aims to deliver a dependable, scalable driverless transportation model suitable for complex urban environments.

Apollo Go’s entry into Abu Dhabi’s commercial market represents an important step in the global rollout of its robotaxi services. The initiative demonstrates the city’s commitment to fostering innovation in transportation and promoting sustainable mobility solutions through partnerships with leading technology companies.

Through the expansion of its fully driverless operations, Baidu seeks to enhance service efficiency while contributing to the evolution of autonomous mobility worldwide. The company stated that the Abu Dhabi project will serve as a model for similar deployments in other international markets, reinforcing the role of autonomous driving in shaping future urban transportation networks.

The collaboration not only marks a milestone for Baidu and AutoGo but also signals a growing acceptance of autonomous mobility solutions in the Middle East. With continued advancements in technology and regulatory support, the project is expected to play a vital role in accelerating the commercial adoption of driverless ride-hailing services globally.