In a landmark development for the region’s smart mobility sector, UAE-based AutoGo and Baidu’s Apollo Go have launched a fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi. The service is now open to the public on Yas Island, allowing users to hail a completely driverless vehicle through the AutoGo app.
The launch positions Abu Dhabi among an elite group of global cities offering commercial robotaxi services, moving beyond limited trials to public deployment. This milestone follows the partnership’s receipt of a fully driverless commercial permit in mid-November 2025, signaling strong regulatory confidence in autonomous vehicle technology as the UAE advances its smart city vision.
A New Era Of Mobility On Yas Island
The initial deployment is strategically located on Yas Island, a major leisure and entertainment hub in the capital. By launching in a high-profile yet controlled urban environment, the service can operate in a permitted zone for fully autonomous vehicles while gaining public visibility. Users on the island can now experience the future of urban transport firsthand, summoning a ride with no human driver behind the wheel.
From Partnership To Public Launch
The public rollout comes just months after Apollo Go and AutoGo announced their partnership in March 2025, highlighting the rapid pace of development from collaboration to live operations. The partners have expressed a clear goal of building Abu Dhabi’s largest fully driverless fleet, aiming to scale a commercially viable service rather than limiting operations to small test fleets.
Ambitious Expansion Plans
Following the successful launch on Yas Island, the service is set for a phased expansion across Abu Dhabi. The next areas targeted for rollout include Reem Island, Al Maryah Island, and Saadiyat Island. The long-term objective is to extend coverage across the wider emirate, with plans to deploy hundreds of autonomous vehicles by 2026.
This expansion is part of a broader UAE strategy that pairs large-scale testing with early commercial deployment. In parallel, Baidu’s Apollo Go has also secured regulatory approval in Dubai to conduct fully driverless vehicle trials on designated public roads, with a commercial launch anticipated there as early as the first quarter of 2026.
Leveraging Global Autonomous Driving Expertise
The Abu Dhabi launch builds on Apollo Go’s extensive global experience in operating large-scale robotaxi services. The company has accumulated over 240 million autonomous kilometers, including more than 140 million kilometers in fully driverless mode, and has completed over 17 million rides. This deep operational expertise and proven safety record have been instrumental in securing regulatory approvals and launching one of the first commercial driverless services in the Middle East.
About AutoGo
AutoGo is a UAE-based smart mobility company established to advance autonomous vehicle technology and services in the region. Partnering with global technology leaders like Baidu, AutoGo aims to deploy and operate large-scale autonomous fleets to create safer, more efficient, and sustainable transportation solutions for cities across the Middle East.
About Apollo Go
Apollo Go is the autonomous ride-hailing service of global technology giant Baidu. As a leading autonomous driving platform, Apollo Go operates one of the world’s largest robotaxi fleets across multiple cities. It is focused on accelerating the commercialization of autonomous driving technology to provide safe, reliable, and accessible mobility services to the public.
Source: Tech in Asia
