Baidu's Apollo Go Goes Live on Uber in Dubai, Offering a New Way for Users to Hail Fully Driverless Rides

Rhea-AI Summary

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) launched fully driverless Apollo Go robotaxis on the Uber (NYSE:UBER) platform in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport as fleet operator. Riders in selected areas of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah can now request autonomous vehicles via Uber Comfort, UberX or an “Autonomous” option.

According to Baidu, Dubai is Apollo Go’s first market with both a self-operated app and a third-party platform model, and the first deployment under a multi-year partnership aiming to bring thousands of Apollo Go vehicles to Uber across global markets.

News Market Reaction – UBER

+0.67%

1 alert

+0.67% Session close to close

$161.34B Market Cap

0.7x Rel. Volume

In the Aug 20 session, UBER gained 0.67%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

The prior Uber autonomous-rides launch recorded a 4.53% 24-hour reaction, providing a platform prece...

Analysis

The prior Uber autonomous-rides launch recorded a 4.53% 24-hour reaction, providing a platform precedent for this rollout. The active S-3ASR shelf permits future offerings, but no amount or usage is reported.

Key Figures

Planned Apollo Go vehicles: thousands of autonomous vehicles Cities served: 28 cities Autonomous kilometers: over 350 million autonomous kilometers +2 more

5 metrics

Planned Apollo Go vehicles thousands of autonomous vehicles Multi-year Uber partnership across global markets

Cities served 28 cities Apollo Go global footprint

Autonomous kilometers over 350 million autonomous kilometers Apollo Go fleet cumulative deployment

Fully driverless kilometers over 240 million fully driverless autonomous kilometers Apollo Go fleet cumulative deployment

Airbag deployment interval one airbag deployment every 14.4 million kilometers Fully driverless vehicles as of end of June

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 19 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Aug 19	Autonomous rides launch	Positive	+4.5%	Uber launched autonomous rides in Europe through a Pony.ai and Verne partnership.
Aug 17	Drone delivery partnership	Positive	-1.3%	Uber partnered with Zipline to scale autonomous drone deliveries on Uber Eats.
Aug 13	Robotaxi partnership expansion	Positive	+0.1%	Uber and Pony.ai expanded plans to deploy robotaxis across European cities.
Aug 13	Robotaxi pilot partnership	Positive	+0.7%	Uber Japan partnered with Hinomaru Kotsu for a Tokyo autonomous vehicle pilot.
Aug 05	Q2 earnings report	Positive	-5.3%	Uber reported Q2 growth and issued Q3 bookings, EPS, and EBITDA guidance.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Uber's recent news record included both positive reactions to autonomous-mobility announcements and a negative reaction to its latest earnings report.

Key Terms

autonomous ride-hailing, driverless testing permit

2 terms

autonomous ride-hailing technical

"offering both self-operated and partner-based autonomous ride-hailing services internationally"

Autonomous ride-hailing is a passenger transport service that uses self-driving vehicles summoned by an app, functioning like a robot chauffeur that picks up and drops off riders without a human driver behind the wheel. Investors care because shifting to driverless fleets can greatly reduce labor costs and change capital, regulatory and safety risk profiles, which can materially affect a company’s margins, growth potential and long-term valuation.

driverless testing permit regulatory

"Dubai's first-ever driverless testing permit for fully autonomous vehicles"

A driverless testing permit is an official authorization that allows a company to operate self-driving vehicles on public roads without a human safety driver behind the wheel. For investors, this permit is like a green light to run real-world experiments and gather data at scale, reducing regulatory roadblocks and signaling progress toward commercial deployment, but it also brings scrutiny around safety, liability and public acceptance that can affect a company’s costs and timeline.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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• Baidu's fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles are now available to riders on the Uber platform in Dubai, the first market where this partnership comes to reality.
• Riders may be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle when booking Uber Comfort or UberX, or by selecting the "Autonomous" option in the Uber app.
• Dubai marks the first city where Apollo Go has established a dual model, offering both self-operated and partner-based autonomous ride-hailing services internationally.

DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888) today announced that Apollo Go's autonomous vehicles are officially available to riders on the Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) platform in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport serving as the fleet operator. Starting today, riders in Dubai can hail a fully driverless Apollo Go vehicle directly through the Uber app. The launch marks the first deployment built on the multi-year strategic partnership between the two parties to bring thousands of Apollo Go autonomous vehicles to the Uber platform across global markets.

At initial launch in Dubai, the fully autonomous service will be available in select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, with plans to expand the operating territory in the future. For trips within the service area, riders will have the opportunity to be matched with a fully driverless Apollo Go vehicle when booking an Uber Comfort or UberX, or by selecting the "Autonomous" option in the Uber app.

"This launch marks a meaningful milestone in our partnership with Uber, with Dubai serving as the launchpad as the partnership grows its footprint," said Nan Yang, Vice President of Baidu and General Manager of Overseas Business Unit, Intelligent Driving Group. "Dubai is also the first city where we've successfully established a dual model, offering both self-operated and partner-based autonomous ride-hailing services internationally. With this launch, we are excited to offer another way for riders in Dubai to enjoy the benefits of autonomous mobility."

"Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally," said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous at Uber. "Launching in Dubai marks the first time our multi-partner vision comes to life on public roads, demonstrating how combining advanced autonomous technology with our global marketplace can accelerate an electric, shared, and autonomous future."

Dubai is Apollo Go's first market to operate through both self-operated app and third-party platform partnership. In March 2026, Apollo Go began offering commercial fully driverless rides through its own app, marking its first international app deployment. That launch built on Apollo Go's receipt of Dubai's first-ever driverless testing permit for fully autonomous vehicles without a safety driver in January 2026. Riders can now access Apollo Go's fully driverless service through either the Apollo Go app or the Uber app.

First announced in July 2025, the partnership combines Uber's extensive network with Apollo Go's autonomous driving technology stack, and aims to bring thousands of Apollo Go autonomous vehicles onto the Uber platform across multiple global markets, with the goal of increasing the supply of affordable and reliable ridesharing options.

Apollo Go brings deep experience in large-scale, real-world deployment and continues to rapidly expand its global footprint. To date, Apollo Go has spanned 28 cities globally, and its fleets have accumulated over 350 million autonomous kilometers, including over 240 million fully driverless autonomous kilometers, with an outstanding safety record. As of the end of June, its fully driverless vehicles recorded an average of approximately one airbag deployment every 14.4 million kilometers.

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.

About Uber

Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 79 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

Media Contacts

Baidu
intlcomm@baidu.com

Uber
press@uber.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidus-apollo-go-goes-live-on-uber-in-dubai-offering-a-new-way-for-users-to-hail-fully-driverless-rides-302856106.html

SOURCE Baidu, Inc.

FAQ

What did Baidu (BIDU) announce about Apollo Go and Uber in Dubai on August 20, 2026?

Baidu announced that fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles are now available through the Uber platform in Dubai. According to Baidu, this is the first deployment under its multi-year partnership with Uber to bring Apollo Go robotaxis to Uber users across global markets.

How can Uber (UBER) riders in Dubai hail a Baidu Apollo Go driverless vehicle?

Uber riders in Dubai can be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle when booking Uber Comfort or UberX, or by choosing the “Autonomous” option. According to Baidu, the driverless service initially operates in selected areas of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, with future expansion planned.

Which areas of Dubai are covered by Baidu Apollo Go autonomous rides on Uber at launch?

At launch, Apollo Go autonomous rides on the Uber platform are available in select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. According to Baidu, the company plans to expand the operating territory over time, building on this initial service area in Dubai.

Who operates the Baidu Apollo Go driverless fleet for Uber in Dubai?

The Apollo Go driverless fleet for Uber in Dubai is operated by New Horizon Luxury Transport. According to Baidu, Apollo Go provides the autonomous vehicles and technology stack, while New Horizon serves as the local fleet operator supporting fully driverless rides within the designated service zones.

What is unique about Baidu Apollo Go’s dual model in Dubai for autonomous ride-hailing?

Dubai is the first city where Apollo Go runs both a self-operated app and a third-party platform model. According to Baidu, riders can access fully driverless rides either through the Apollo Go app itself or via the Uber app, reflecting this dual operating approach internationally.

How extensive is Baidu Apollo Go’s global autonomous driving experience as of mid-2026?

Apollo Go has operated in 28 cities globally, accumulating over 350 million autonomous kilometers, including more than 240 million fully driverless kilometers. According to Baidu, its fully driverless vehicles averaged about one airbag deployment every 14.4 million kilometers as of the end of June.