Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Enmaeya News) — Chinese technology leader Baidu and ride-hailing giant Uber announced a strategic partnership to introduce self-driving taxi services globally, beginning with pilot tests in Dubai by the end of 2025.
The collaboration will exclude the United States and China, focusing instead on expanding Baidu’s autonomous vehicle technology across Asia, the Middle East, and eventually Europe.
Under the agreement, Uber will offer its users in multiple countries the option to book Baidu’s self-driving taxis, effectively leveraging Uber’s expansive international footprint to accelerate Baidu’s global rollout. Baidu’s autonomous fleet, branded as “Apollo Go,” consists of electric SUVs designed for family use, equipped with advanced sensors and software enabling fully driverless operation.
Apollo Go has already logged over 11 million passenger trips since its launch in major Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where the service is currently active. Baidu aims to build on this success by deploying the vehicles in new international markets, with Dubai serving as a key testing ground.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the company’s role as the world’s largest ride-hailing platform, emphasizing its unique position to help Baidu scale the autonomous taxi service globally. “Our platform and extensive presence in thousands of cities enable us to bring these cutting-edge technologies to users worldwide,” Khosrowshahi said in a joint statement.
While the announcement signals a major step forward for driverless ride services, the companies acknowledged that legal and regulatory hurdles remain significant. Autonomous vehicle regulations differ widely between countries, and ride-sharing rules add further complexity. Baidu’s partnership with Uber, which operates in more than 15,000 cities globally, is seen as a way to navigate these challenges more efficiently.
As the race to deploy self-driving taxis intensifies worldwide, this partnership positions Baidu and Uber as prominent players seeking to reshape urban mobility on a global scale.
