Dubai —Uber Technologies announced that fully driverless from Baidu’s Apollo Go service are officially available to riders on the Uber platform in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport serving as the fleet operator. The vehicles are operated as robotaxis, with no driver.
This milestone reinforces Uber’s position as the platform of choice for autonomous vehicle and marks a leap forward in expanding autonomous technology worldwide. As the inaugural step in a multi-year strategic partnership, Dubai serves as the launchpad for scaling thousands of Apollo Go vehicles across Uber’s global network.
Starting Thursday (2), riders in Dubai requesting an UberX or Uber Comfort may be matched with a fully driverless vehicle. To increase the chances of being matched with a robotaxi, riders can also select the dedicated “Autonomous” option directly in the Uber app. At initial launch, the fully autonomous service will be available in select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, with plans to expand the operating territory in the future.
“Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous at Uber. “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.”
“This launch marks a meaningful milestone in our partnership with Uber, with Dubai serving as the launchpad as the partnership grows its footprint,” said Nan Yang, Vice President of Baidu and General Manager of Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group. “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.”
The service will use Apollo Go’s sixth-generation RT6, a purpose-built, fully electric robotaxi designed for fully driverless operations. Accommodating up to three passengers, each vehicle is equipped with more than 30 sensors for comprehensive perception of its surroundings and real-time onboard data processing.
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“Dubai, the place I proudly call home”
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
