Baidu Apollo Go has opened its first autonomous vehicle operations centre outside China at Dubai Science Park, marking a step in the company’s expansion in the United Arab Emirates.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, and Yunpeng Wang, Corporate Vice President of Baidu and President of Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group, inaugurated the facility.
The centre spans 2,000 square metres and serves as a hub for managing infrastructure resources, services, and internet-based applications. The facility includes a simulation room, a training room, and an operations and maintenance centre.
Dubai grants first driverless vehicle trial permit to Baidu Apollo Go
RTA granted Baidu Apollo Go Dubai’s first permit to conduct trials of autonomous vehicles on public roads without a safety driver behind the wheel.
Al Tayer toured the centre and received briefings on its facilities and capabilities. The centre integrates road infrastructure, charging and maintenance facilities, and technologies for autonomous vehicles. Apollo Go plans to expand its fleet in Dubai to more than 1,000 vehicles in the coming years.
The centre handles vehicle operations, maintenance, charging, software updates, vehicle management and inspection, and maintenance of components and equipment for test vehicles. It supports safety testing and enables response to commands, while safety drivers perform roles including test readiness, safety awareness, training, device inventory management, and support for office operations.
Dubai RTA partners with Baidu for driverless taxi service launch in 2026
The opening follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between RTA and the company in March 2025 to enable operation of autonomous taxis across the emirate. In July 2025, the company obtained the emirate’s first autonomous driving trial permit to conduct trials of autonomous vehicles. In August, the company launched trials involving 50 RT6 autonomous vehicles on roads in Dubai.
The permit to conduct trials without a safety driver marks a milestone in Apollo Go’s efforts to launch a commercial autonomous ride-hailing service in the emirate in the first quarter of 2026.
“The opening of Apollo Go’s first operations centre outside China reflects the strong confidence of leading global companies in Dubai’s advanced regulatory environment and the readiness of its smart infrastructure to accommodate and advance autonomous vehicle technologies in line with the highest standards of safety and efficiency. RTA’s issuance of Dubai’s first permit for fully driverless operational trials without a safety driver represents a qualitative milestone, translating our commitment to developing a flexible and secure legislative framework that keeps pace with rapid advancements in mobility technologies, supports innovation, and fosters partnerships with leading specialised global companies in this field,” Al Tayer said in a statement.
Al Tayer said the collaboration with Baidu Apollo Go forms part of RTA’s vision to expand mobility solutions and enhance deployment of autonomous vehicles across taxi and ride-hailing services.
He said this will contribute to improving quality of life, enhancing road safety, reducing carbon emissions, and increasing efficiency of the emirate’s transport network.
“RTA continues to work closely with strategic partners to accelerate the adoption of smart mobility solutions and support the transformation of Dubai into a global laboratory for future transport technologies, in line with the directives of the wise leadership and the vision to build a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and advanced technology,” he said.
RTA and Baidu launch 2,000 square metre autonomous vehicle control centre
“We are honoured that Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has entrusted Apollo Go with Dubai’s first driverless vehicle trial permit. Together with the opening of our first overseas Apollo Go Park, this marks a significant milestone in Apollo Go’s expansion in the United Arab Emirates and underscores our long-term commitment to the region,” Wang said.
“Building on our proven global expertise, we look forward to working closely with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and local partners to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable autonomous ride-hailing services, accelerating the emirate’s transition towards intelligent transportation,” he added.
“Receiving Dubai’s first driverless vehicle trial permit is a testament to the safety and maturity of our technology. By establishing our first overseas Apollo Go Park here in Dubai, we are creating a strong foundation to localise our operations and work closely with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable autonomous mobility solutions for the emirate’s residents,” Liang Zhang, Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Baidu Apollo, further explained.
Apollo Go vehicles have logged more than 240 million kilometres in autonomous operation, including over 140 million kilometres completed in driverless mode without a human driver.
The platform operates in 22 cities and its weekly ride volume has exceeded 250,000 trips. Cumulative completed rides surpassed 17 million as of October 31, 2025.
