Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) stock jumped 6.3% on Wednesday after announcing that its autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, secured Dubai’s first trial permit for self-driving cars, along with 50 test licenses.
The permits were issued by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in July. They allow Apollo Go to operate a 50-vehicle fleet in selected urban areas. Since August, the company has already started testing on open roads, making Apollo Go the only platform currently authorized to run self-driving trials in the city.
This achievement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year between Apollo Go and the RTA. The two parties plan to expand the autonomous fleet to over 1,000 fully driverless vehicles by 2028. This supports Dubai’s strategic vision of adopting autonomous mobility on a large scale.
The new permit also strengthens Apollo Go’s international footprint. In November 2024, the company became the first to secure an autonomous driving test license in Hong Kong, marking its entry into right-hand-drive markets.
Apollo Go brings global expertise to Dubai. The platform has already completed over 200 million kilometers of safe driving and delivered more than 14 million autonomous rides across China. It operates fully driverless taxi services in several Chinese cities, giving it a competitive edge.
The announcement was made during the 4th Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport. At the event, Apollo Go showcased its latest sixth-generation autonomous vehicle, the RT6, offering exclusive trial rides to participants.
