Baidu's Apollo Go Secures Permit to Scale Driverless Fleet to Hundreds of Vehicles in Abu Dhabi by 2026

Apollo Go and AutoGo to expand driverless fleet in Abu Dhabi By Investing.com

ABU DHABI - Baidu's Apollo Go and UAE-based AutoGo have signed an agreement to scale their autonomous vehicle fleet to hundreds of units in Abu Dhabi by 2026, according to a press release issued Tuesday. The partnership has secured one of Abu Dhabi's inaugural permits to operate fully driverless commercial robotaxi services for the public, issued by the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC). The permit follows months of fully driverless testing on public roads since the partnership was first announced in March. The authorization allows the companies to provide robotaxi services to Abu Dhabi residents and visitors. "Moving from our initial announcement to fully driverless testing in just a few months, and now securing the permit, shows incredible potential and strong support for autonomous mobility in the UAE," said Liang Zhang, Managing Director of EMEA, Baidu Apollo. The announcement was made during the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, where the companies are demonstrating their driverless ride-hailing service. Dr. Abdulla Hamad Al Ghfeli, Director General of the ITC, participated in a pilot ride. Apollo Go, Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing service, has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometers across 22 cities globally. The service currently provides over 250,000 rides weekly and has completed more than 17 million cumulative rides as of October 31, 2025. Baidu trades on NASDAQ under the ticker BIDU and on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as 9888. In other recent news, Baidu Inc. has made significant strides with its autonomous driving initiative in Dubai. The company received the first autonomous driving trial permit and 50 test licenses from Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, allowing its Apollo Go fleet to conduct open-road testing. This development marks Baidu as the sole platform authorized for self-driving trials on Dubai's roads. In financial news, Baidu completed a CNY4.4 billion senior unsecured notes offering, with the notes due in 2029 and carrying a 1.90% interest rate. The offering was conducted offshore and is expected to be listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Earlier, Baidu announced its plan to issue CNY-denominated senior notes, with proceeds intended for general corporate purposes, including debt repayment. These developments reflect Baidu's ongoing efforts to expand its technological and financial footprint globally. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Baidu's Apollo Go and K2's AutoGo Announce Fleet Expansion Plan in Abu Dhabi, Winning One of the Emirate's Inaugural Fully Driverless Commercial Permits

The partners won one of the inaugural permits to operate fully driverless commercial robotaxi service for the public in Abu Dhabi. ABU DHABI, UAE, Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888) today announced that its autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, and AutoGo, a leading UAE-based autonomous mobility company, have entered a significantly expanded phase of their partnership aimed at scaling the fleet to hundreds of autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi. This next-phase partnership was signed as the partners secured one of Abu Dhabi's inaugural fully driverless commercial permits issued by Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), readying the fleet to commence fully driverless robotaxi service for the public. With the permit now in place and hundreds of new vehicles to be deployed, both partners are advancing rapidly toward the goal of large-scale fully driverless commercial operations in Abu Dhabi by 2026. This permit builds upon the partnership's progress since its March announcement, including months of fully driverless testing on public roads. It authorizes the fleet to officially provide robotaxi services to Abu Dhabi's residents and visitors. These milestones further confirm the fleet's readiness for scaled deployment, advancing the ultimate goal of building Abu Dhabi's largest fully driverless fleet. "We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with AutoGo in Abu Dhabi and to secure one of the emirate's inaugural fully driverless commercial permits," said Liang Zhang, Managing Director of EMEA, Baidu Apollo. "Moving from our initial announcement to fully driverless testing in just a few months, and now securing the permit, shows incredible potential and strong support for autonomous mobility in the UAE. This next phase, focused on larger-scale operation, brings us one step closer to a future of safer, smarter, and more sustainable transportation for the region." Sean Teo, Managing Director of K2 said, "AutoGo is committed to advancing Abu Dhabi's position as a global leader in smart and autonomous vehicle technology, in line with the vision of the SAVI cluster. Our partnership with Baidu's Apollo Go is instrumental in this mission. The fully driverless commercial permit is a testament to our combined capabilities, and we are excited to expand our cooperation to build Abu Dhabi's largest driverless robotaxi fleet, transforming the mobility landscape of the UAE." The announcement was made during the ongoing Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (November 10-15), where Apollo Go and AutoGo are showcasing their fully driverless ride-hailing service. Dr. Abdulla Hamad Al Ghfeli, Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), participated in a pilot ride of the service. As a leading autonomous ride‑hailing service globally, Apollo Go has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometers with a strong safety record. With a global footprint across 22 cities, Apollo Go's weekly ride count surpasses 250,000 lately, and it has completed more than 17 million cumulative rides as of October 31, 2025. Looking ahead, Apollo Go and AutoGo will scale commercial robotaxi services to reach more users and advance Abu Dhabi's smart city vision. About Baidu Founded in 2000, Baidu's mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, trading on the NASDAQ under "BIDU" and HKEX under "9888." One Baidu ADS represents eight Class A ordinary shares. Media Contact [email protected]