Dubai , January 8 , 2026 : Dubai has taken a major step forward in smart mobility with the official launch of Baidu Apollo Go’s Autonomous Vehicles Operations and Control Centre, the company’s first facility outside China. The centre was inaugurated at Dubai Science Park by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), and Yunpeng Wang, Corporate Vice President of Baidu and President of Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group.
Covering an area of 2,000 square metres, the state-of-the-art centre serves as a comprehensive hub for managing autonomous vehicle operations. It includes a command-and-control centre, simulation and training rooms, and an operations and maintenance facility. The centre will oversee vehicle deployment, charging, routine maintenance, software updates, inspections, and safety testing, while ensuring rapid response to operational commands.
The opening follows RTA’s issuance of Dubai’s first permit allowing fully autonomous vehicle trials on public roads without a safety driver, marking a significant regulatory milestone. Baidu Apollo Go is scheduled to begin commercial autonomous ride-hailing operations in the first quarter of 2026, with plans to gradually expand its fleet to 1,000 vehicles across the emirate.
The centre builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between RTA and Baidu Apollo Go in March 2025, aimed at enabling large-scale autonomous taxi operations. This was followed by the granting of the emirate’s first autonomous driving trial permit in July 2025 and the launch of operational trials involving 50 autonomous vehicles in August.
Al Tayer said the opening of the centre represents a strategic milestone that strengthens Dubai’s global leadership in smart mobility and the use of artificial intelligence in transport. He noted that Baidu’s decision to establish its first overseas operations centre in Dubai reflects international confidence in the emirate’s advanced regulatory environment and smart infrastructure.
He added that the partnership supports RTA’s vision to expand future mobility solutions, enhance road safety, reduce carbon emissions, and improve transport efficiency, in line with Dubai’s ambition to become a global hub for innovation and advanced technologies.
Yunpeng Wang said the launch of the first overseas Apollo Go Park, combined with the receipt of Dubai’s first driverless vehicle trial permit, marks a significant step in the company’s expansion in the UAE and demonstrates its long-term commitment to the region.
Apollo Go’s autonomous driving platform is supported by extensive global experience. The service has logged over 240 million kilometres of autonomous driving worldwide, including more than 140 million kilometres in fully driverless mode. Operating in 22 cities, Apollo Go records more than 250,000 rides per week, with cumulative trips exceeding 17 million as of October 2025.
The launch further reinforces Dubai’s position as a global testing ground for next-generation transport solutions and a leader in the adoption of autonomous and intelligent mobility technologies.
