Dubai’s RTA has signed an agreement with Baidu’s Apollo Go to launch self-driving taxis

BY THE ARAB TODAY Apr 21, 2025

Table of Contents

Dubai’s RTA has signed an agreement with Baidu’s Apollo Go to launch self-driving taxis

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has made an agreement with Baidu’s self-driving ride service, Apollo Go, to launch autonomous taxis widely across the city, according to a statement on Sunday.

Autonomous Taxis

A company has announced it will start testing 50 self-driving cars soon, with the full service expected to launch in 2026. The cars, called RT6, are the latest version of the company’s autonomous taxis and are designed for self-driving services.

The taxis are equipped with 40 sensors and detectors to ensure they are safe and fully automated. The model has already been successful and praised by users in China.

Testing will begin with 50 vehicles, and the company plans to expand to 1,000 autonomous taxis in the next three years. This will be the company’s first expansion outside China and Hong Kong.

The signing ceremony was attended by key officials from the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) and Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group.

Big Number

So far, Apollo Go has completed over 10 million trips with self-driving cars, making it the largest operator of autonomous vehicles in the world.

Self-Driving Transport

Al Tayer, a leader in the RTA, said the agreement is a key step in Dubai’s plan to make 25% of all trips in the city autonomous by 2030. This also builds on the RTA’s work testing self-driving vehicles since 2016.

He noted that self-driving cars are now a reality, with many global companies working on the necessary technology, and governments focusing on laws, infrastructure, and regulations for autonomous vehicles.

Published: 21th April 2025

For more article like this please follow our social media Facebook, Linkedin & Instagram