Dubai has rolled out fully driverless commercial taxi services, allowing residents and visitors to book rides with no human driver through the Apollo Go app.
Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), in partnership with Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go, launched the service on Tuesday, marking the platform’s first international app deployment and a key milestone for driverless mobility in the region.
The initiative is part of Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to convert 25 per cent of all journeys in the city into smart and driverless trips by 2030.
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The rollout will begin with 50 vehicles in the first year, with a phased expansion plan to increase the fleet to more than 1,000 driverless taxis over the next few years.
Residents and visitors can book rides through the Apollo Go app, available on both Android and iOS platforms. The service is also expected to be integrated with other e-hailing platforms such as Bolt as the rollout expands.
Officials said the partnership combines Apollo Go’s advanced autonomous driving technology with DTC’s local operational expertise, leveraging its position as one of Dubai’s largest mobility providers with a fleet of more than 6,000 taxis and limousines.
“Our partnership with DTC represents a new chapter for autonomous mobility in Dubai. By combining our cutting-edge technology with DTC’s local expertise, we are creating a safe, efficient and scalable ride-hailing service that sets a new standard for the region,” said Nan Yang, Vice President of Baidu and General Manager of Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group.
Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi, Group CEO of DTC, said the company is proud to be among the first to roll out driverless taxi operations in Dubai.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to innovation and delivering future-ready services that enhance customer experience. With the support of the Roads and Transport Authority, we have built the infrastructure needed to deploy driverless taxis in line with Dubai’s vision,” he said.
He added that successful trials conducted over the past few months have demonstrated the vehicles’ readiness in terms of safety, reliability and operational efficiency, giving confidence to scale the service further.
The commercial launch follows a key milestone earlier this year, when Apollo Go received Dubai’s first permit to test fully autonomous vehicles without a safety driver.
In January 2026, Baidu also launched the Apollo Go Park in Dubai, its first overseas operations and management hub, supporting plans to scale up to more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles in the coming years.
Globally, Apollo Go has completed more than 20 million rides and accumulated over 300 million kilometres of autonomous driving, including more than 190 million kilometres of fully driverless operations.
With the latest rollout, Dubai further strengthens its position as a global hub for future mobility solutions, as it continues to adopt advanced technologies aimed at improving transport efficiency and sustainability.
Source: Khaleej Times