https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0812/c95952-20488079.html
From Apollo Go to WeRide and Pony.ai, a growing number of Chinese autonomous driving companies are expanding into the UAE. As the UAE accelerates its smart city development, autonomous driving has emerged as a new focal point for AI cooperation between China and the UAE. Dubai has announced plans to transition 25% of its transportation to autonomous driving by 2030, offering vast opportunities for Chinese companies.
Apollo Go, a Baidu subsidiary and one of the first Chinese autonomous driving companies to enter the UAE market, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Earlier this year, it obtained a permit for fully driverless testing, becoming the first—and currently the only—platform authorized to conduct such tests in Dubai. It also launched commercial operations in March.
Photo: “Robotaxi” (operated by the service known as “Luobo Kuaipao”) photographed on the streets of Dubai, UAE, on July 31. Photo by Wen Xinnian.
According to Chen Qiang, the UAE head of “Luobo Kuaipao,” the platform’s service area currently covers approximately 25 square kilometers in Dubai’s Jumeirah district, with plans to expand to several hundred square kilometers by the end of the year. The fleet size is also set to increase to several hundred vehicles. Since the launch of commercial operations, the service has received widespread praise from local passengers for being convenient, smooth, comfortable, smart, and safe.
In addition to “Luobo Kuaipao,” other Chinese autonomous driving companies are also accelerating their expansion into the Middle East.
WeRide has currently deployed over 200 robotaxis in the Middle East and has already achieved operating profitability in the region. The company plans to further expand its operations to cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
Pony.ai also plans to launch commercial robotaxi services in Dubai in the second half of this year.
Industry observers note that as collaboration in emerging sectors—such as AI, smart vehicles, and humanoid robots—deepens, Chinese companies are harnessing their innovation capabilities and industrial strengths to inject new momentum into smart city development across the Middle East.