Uber has partnered with Chinese tech company Baidu to launch self-driving robotaxis in several international markets. The agreement will bring Baidu’s autonomous vehicle service, Apollo Go, to the Uber app in selected cities across Asia and the Middle East. The rollout will begin later this year, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi among the first cities where users will be able to book rides in Baidu’s driverless cars through Uber’s platform.
For Uber, this is part of a broader strategy to grow its autonomous vehicle offerings by teaming up with established technology partners. The company sold its in-house self-driving unit, Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), to Aurora Innovation in 2020. And now, rather than developing its own driverless cars, Uber is working with companies that already have tested and proven autonomous systems. It has previously partnered with firms like Waymo, Motional, and May Mobility in the US. And now this latest deal with Baidu allows the ride-hailing giant to introduce robotaxis in regions where demand for advanced mobility solutions is rising and local governments are also pushing for smart transport systems.
In the early stages of the rollout, users will not need to search specifically for a robotaxi. When booking a ride in an eligible city, the Uber app will offer the option of taking a self-driving Apollo Go vehicle (if it is available). This is similar to how the company has introduced autonomous vehicles in the United States. The service will initially launch in a limited number of cities and expand gradually as regulations, infrastructure, and public acceptance improve.
Baidu’s Apollo Go counts as one of the world’s largest and most advanced robotaxi services. The company claims that it currently operates in over 15 cities across China and has completed more than 11 million rides using fully autonomous vehicles. And the latest tie-up will allow the Chinese company to expand its reach beyond the country and enter international markets using Uber’s global network.
Notably, the Middle East market (particularly Abu Dhabi) is not new territory for Uber when it comes to robotaxi services. Earlier in December 2024, Uber made its international robotaxi debut in Abu Dhabi through a partnership with WeRide. Additionally, at the start of this year (2025), Uber partnered with Nvidia to boost its AI-powered autonomous driving efforts. The deal includes using Nvidia’s Cosmos simulation tool and DGX Cloud platform for advanced AI development.
The move comes at a time when the robotaxi market is growing increasingly competitive, with firms like Waymo and Tesla accelerating their global expansion efforts. According to estimates, the global robotaxi market (valued at $2.77 billion in 2024) is projected to surpass $150 billion by 2034.
