emirates7 - Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Apollo Go, the autonomous ride-hailing arm of Chinese tech giant Baidu, to launch large-scale autonomous taxi services across the city.
Under this agreement, Apollo Go will begin trial operations with 50 autonomous vehicles in the coming months, laying the groundwork for a full-scale public rollout scheduled for 2026.
The MoU was signed in a formal ceremony attended by key figures, including Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, and Halton Niu, General Manager of Overseas Business at Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group. Representing RTA, Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, signed the agreement, while Baidu was represented by Liang Zhang, General Manager for Overseas Business in the MENA region. Several other officials from both sides were also present.
According to the agreement, Baidu will introduce its sixth-generation autonomous taxi model, the RT6, purpose-built for driverless mobility services. The RT6 is outfitted with 40 advanced sensors and detectors to ensure a high level of automation and safety. The vehicle has already earned acclaim in China for its reliability and innovation.
The initial testing phase will include 50 vehicles, with a progressive expansion targeting a fleet of 1,000 autonomous taxis over the next three years. This growth will follow strict performance and quality standards.
This collaboration marks Apollo Go’s first venture into international testing and operation of autonomous vehicles outside mainland China and Hong Kong.
To date, Apollo Go has accumulated over 150 million kilometres of safe autonomous driving, making it the world’s largest operator of self-driving vehicle fleets. It has also completed over 10 million autonomous rides across several Chinese cities, including full driverless operations.
Al Tayer expressed enthusiasm over the partnership, noting Apollo Go’s pioneering role as the first autonomous taxi provider in China. He emphasized the importance of adopting AI, big data, and automation to develop future-ready smart cities.
He stated, “This MoU aligns with our leadership’s vision to forge global partnerships and elevate Dubai’s status as a leader in advanced, sustainable transportation. It supports the emirate’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to make 25% of all Dubai’s trips autonomous by 2030. This agreement is a milestone in RTA’s efforts, which began in 2016, to test and integrate autonomous vehicles.”
Al Tayer also highlighted the growing global momentum around autonomous mobility. As technology evolves, governments are actively working on licensing frameworks, infrastructure development, and regulations to support this transformation. He reiterated RTA’s commitment to positioning Dubai at the forefront of self-driving innovation, which includes testing various autonomous solutions across land, air, and marine transport sectors.
Halton Niu noted that this partnership reflects Dubai’s forward-thinking approach to embracing cutting-edge technologies and aligns with the UAE’s broader ambition to lead in autonomous transportation. He affirmed Apollo Go’s mission to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable smart mobility solutions worldwide.
Liang Zhang added that this collaboration is Apollo Go’s most significant global move to date, reinforcing Dubai’s dedication to becoming a hub for next-generation mobility innovation.
Ahmed Bahrozyan remarked that autonomous transport will significantly enhance mobility for all segments of society—especially those who currently can’t drive, like the elderly and children—while improving safety and reducing travel time. He stressed that the MoU would be instrumental in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing as Dubai develops a comprehensive roadmap for autonomous taxi operations.
Under this agreement, Apollo Go will begin trial operations with 50 autonomous vehicles in the coming months, laying the groundwork for a full-scale public rollout scheduled for 2026.
The MoU was signed in a formal ceremony attended by key figures, including Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, and Halton Niu, General Manager of Overseas Business at Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group. Representing RTA, Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, signed the agreement, while Baidu was represented by Liang Zhang, General Manager for Overseas Business in the MENA region. Several other officials from both sides were also present.
According to the agreement, Baidu will introduce its sixth-generation autonomous taxi model, the RT6, purpose-built for driverless mobility services. The RT6 is outfitted with 40 advanced sensors and detectors to ensure a high level of automation and safety. The vehicle has already earned acclaim in China for its reliability and innovation.
The initial testing phase will include 50 vehicles, with a progressive expansion targeting a fleet of 1,000 autonomous taxis over the next three years. This growth will follow strict performance and quality standards.
This collaboration marks Apollo Go’s first venture into international testing and operation of autonomous vehicles outside mainland China and Hong Kong.
To date, Apollo Go has accumulated over 150 million kilometres of safe autonomous driving, making it the world’s largest operator of self-driving vehicle fleets. It has also completed over 10 million autonomous rides across several Chinese cities, including full driverless operations.
Al Tayer expressed enthusiasm over the partnership, noting Apollo Go’s pioneering role as the first autonomous taxi provider in China. He emphasized the importance of adopting AI, big data, and automation to develop future-ready smart cities.
He stated, “This MoU aligns with our leadership’s vision to forge global partnerships and elevate Dubai’s status as a leader in advanced, sustainable transportation. It supports the emirate’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to make 25% of all Dubai’s trips autonomous by 2030. This agreement is a milestone in RTA’s efforts, which began in 2016, to test and integrate autonomous vehicles.”
Al Tayer also highlighted the growing global momentum around autonomous mobility. As technology evolves, governments are actively working on licensing frameworks, infrastructure development, and regulations to support this transformation. He reiterated RTA’s commitment to positioning Dubai at the forefront of self-driving innovation, which includes testing various autonomous solutions across land, air, and marine transport sectors.
Halton Niu noted that this partnership reflects Dubai’s forward-thinking approach to embracing cutting-edge technologies and aligns with the UAE’s broader ambition to lead in autonomous transportation. He affirmed Apollo Go’s mission to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable smart mobility solutions worldwide.
Liang Zhang added that this collaboration is Apollo Go’s most significant global move to date, reinforcing Dubai’s dedication to becoming a hub for next-generation mobility innovation.
Ahmed Bahrozyan remarked that autonomous transport will significantly enhance mobility for all segments of society—especially those who currently can’t drive, like the elderly and children—while improving safety and reducing travel time. He stressed that the MoU would be instrumental in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing as Dubai develops a comprehensive roadmap for autonomous taxi operations.