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

Partnership Secures Inaugural Commercial Permit

Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing service Apollo Go and UAE-based AutoGo have secured one of Abu Dhabi's inaugural permits to operate fully driverless commercial robotaxi services for the public 1

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. The permit, issued by the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), represents a significant milestone in the partnership's evolution since its initial announcement in March 2025.

The authorization follows months of fully driverless testing on public roads and enables the companies to provide robotaxi services to Abu Dhabi residents and visitors. This development positions the partnership to advance toward large-scale fully driverless commercial operations in Abu Dhabi by 2026 2

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Fleet Expansion Plans

The partnership has entered a significantly expanded phase aimed at scaling the fleet to hundreds of autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi 1

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. This expansion represents a substantial increase from the initial testing phase and demonstrates the partners' commitment to building Abu Dhabi's largest fully driverless fleet.

Liang Zhang, Managing Director of EMEA at Baidu Apollo, emphasized the rapid progress achieved: "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" 1

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Global Performance Metrics

Apollo Go has established itself as a leading autonomous ride-hailing service globally, with impressive operational statistics that support its expansion into Abu Dhabi. The service has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometers across 22 cities worldwide, maintaining a strong safety record throughout its operations 1

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As of October 31, 2025, Apollo Go provides over 250,000 rides weekly and has completed more than 17 million cumulative rides. These metrics demonstrate the service's scalability and operational maturity, providing confidence in its ability to successfully deploy in Abu Dhabi's market 1

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Strategic Vision and Regional Impact

Sean Teo, Managing Director of K2, highlighted AutoGo's commitment to advancing Abu Dhabi's position as a global leader in smart and autonomous vehicle technology, aligning with the vision of the SAVI cluster. The partnership aims to transform the mobility landscape of the UAE while supporting Abu Dhabi's smart city initiatives 2

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The announcement was strategically timed during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (November 10-15), where Apollo Go and AutoGo showcased their fully driverless ride-hailing service. Dr. Abdulla Hamad Al Ghfeli, Director General of the ITC, participated in a pilot ride, demonstrating official support for the initiative 1

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