On July 15, Apollo Go announced a strategic partnership with Uber, the world’s largest mobility service platform. This collaboration will deploy thousands of Robotaxis, marking the largest autonomous driving partnership globally.
The first phase of the partnership is expected to launch by the end of this year, starting in the Asian and Middle Eastern markets and gradually expanding to international markets outside of the U.S. and mainland China. Once the service goes live, passengers will be able to hail autonomous vehicles powered by Apollo Go through the Uber app.
Apollo Go is a self-driving mobility service platform under Baidu, has already deployed over 1,000 autonomous vehicles in multiple locations worldwide and is one of China’s leading providers of autonomous driving services. Uber, as the largest global mobility service platform, has a unique advantage in market deployment, spanning ride-hailing, delivery, and freight services. This makes it an ideal partner for rapidly bringing autonomous driving technology to the global market, particularly for Chinese autonomous vehicle companies.
The international expansion of Apollo Go has been swift. In March this year, the company announced plans to deploy over 1,000 fully autonomous vehicles in Dubai and begin road testing its Robotaxis there. Subsequently, Apollo Go announced a strategic partnership with UAE-based autonomous mobility company Autogo to commercialize Robotaxis in the UAE. There are also messages that Apollo Go is planning to enter the European market. The partnership with Uber represents a global scale, with an even larger deployment.
The autonomous driving market holds immense potential. Governments in regions such as the EU, U.S., and Japan have introduced policies to support the development of the autonomous driving industry. Global tech giants like Tesla and Google’s Waymo are actively advancing autonomous driving technology, while leading domestic Robotaxi companies are expanding their presence in overseas markets. For example, WeRide is collaborating with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority and Uber to deploy commercial Robotaxi services in Dubai. Pony.ai is also planning to operate a Robotaxi fleet in Dubai for testing. With new players entering the market and leading companies accelerating their international expansion, the Robotaxi industry is rapidly moving from technology validation to commercial implementation.