{
  "id": 2094545,
  "title": "Dubai robotaxis: Uber riders can now book Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/dubai-robotaxis-uber-riders-can-now-book-baidus-fully-driverless",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-20T07:16:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/business/dubai-robotaxis-uber-riders-can-now-book-baidus-fully-driverless-apollo-go-1.500646528"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai residents now have the option to book fully driverless robotaxis through Uber's platform, as the US mobility giant announces the launch of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles. Starting August 20, riders in select areas of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah can increase their chances of receiving an autonomous vehicle by selecting the “Autonomous” option in the Uber app. This marks the first live deployment of the partnership between Uber and Baidu, with Dubai serving as the initial testing ground for plans to expand the service globally. The first vehicle in the fleet, the Apollo Go, is a fully electric, driverless robotaxi capable of carrying up to three passengers and equipped with over 30 sensors to monitor its surroundings. Baidu’s Vice President and General Manager of Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group, Nan Yang, stated that Dubai serves as the launchpad for the partnership to expand its reach. The company has already operated Apollo Go vehicles in 28 cities worldwide, amassing more than 350 million autonomous kilometers, including 240 million kilometers of fully driverless operations. Both Uber and Baidu require their autonomous vehicles to comply with safety guidelines before joining the network. The rollout of the Dubai robotaxi service represents a significant step towards a future where autonomous vehicles, operated alongside human drivers, become an integral part of urban transportation.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Dubai residents booking an UberX or Uber Comfort could now find themselves travelling in a fully driverless robotaxi . US moblity giant Uber announced Thursday it is launching Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on its platform in the emirate. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances Starting August 20, riders can also increase their chances of getting a robotaxi by…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}