Uber and Baidu Launch Autonomous Ride-Hailing Service in Dubai
- tech360.tv
- 2 hours ago
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Uber and Baidu announced the launch of autonomous ride-hailing services in Dubai. These services are set to begin in the coming month, marking a significant step in the Chinese technology organisation's global expansion efforts.
Fully autonomous vehicles will be accessible through the Uber app. Initial operations will commence in select locations within the Jumeirah area of the city. Further expansion will depend on operational progress, alongside necessary regulatory approvals across Dubai.
This initiative extends a partnership between Uber and Baidu that was established last year. The ongoing collaboration aims to integrate thousands of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles onto the Uber platform. This deployment targets various international markets outside of the U.S. and mainland China.
The move also advances Uber's strategic ambitions within the emerging robotaxi market. Technology organisations globally are accelerating their efforts to boost the commercial adoption of autonomous vehicles.
Baidu has commercially operated its Apollo Go robotaxi services in several Chinese cities since 2022. The service currently boasts a global presence across 22 cities, having completed over 17 million rides as of October.
Furthermore, Baidu has a partnership with Lyft to deploy robotaxis across Europe. Separately, in December, Baidu collaborated with Uber and Lyft to initiate trials for its driverless taxi services in the UK this year.
Passengers using the Uber app will have the option to be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle. This choice is available when booking an Uber Comfort or UberX taxi, or by selecting the "Autonomous" option.
Uber and Baidu are launching autonomous ride-hailing services in Dubai in the coming month.
The fully autonomous vehicles will be available via the Uber app, starting in select Jumeirah area locations.
This expands an existing partnership between Uber and Baidu for global deployment of Apollo Go autonomous vehicles.
Source: REUTERS
