Uber launches fully driverless service in Dubai

Dubai — Uber Technologies has officially launched its fully driverless service powered by Baidu’s Apollo Go platform, available to riders on the Uber app in Dubai. The fleet operator for these robotaxis is New Horizon Luxury Transport, and no human drivers are involved in the operation. This milestone highlights Uber's leadership in autonomous vehicle technology and signifies a major leap in expanding autonomous mobility worldwide.

As the first phase of a multi-year strategic partnership, Dubai serves as the starting point for deploying thousands of Apollo Go vehicles across Uber's global network. Starting from Thursday (2), riders in Dubai who request an UberX or Uber Comfort may be matched with a fully driverless vehicle by selecting the dedicated "Autonomous" option in the Uber app.

Initially, the fully autonomous service will be available in select areas of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, with plans to expand the service to more locations in the future. Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's Global Head of Autonomous, emphasized that this partnership with Baidu is a significant step forward in the company's global expansion of autonomous mobility.

Nan Yang, Baidu's Vice President and General Manager of Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group, noted that this launch marks the first time their multi-partner vision is realized on public roads, showcasing the potential of combining advanced autonomous technology with Uber's global marketplace. The fully autonomous service utilizes Baidu’s Apollo Go Apollo Go's sixth-generation RT6 vehicle, a fully electric robotaxi designed specifically for driverless operations.

Each vehicle can accommodate up to three passengers and is equipped with over 30 sensors for comprehensive environmental perception and real-time data processing.