On January 6, Apollo Go (萝卜快跑) officially received a fully driverless testing permit from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), becoming the first and currently the only platform authorised to conduct fully unmanned autonomous driving tests in Dubai.
According to the plan, Apollo Go’s fully driverless fleet in Dubai will be expanded to more than 1,000 vehicles.
On the same day, Apollo Go officially put into operation its first overseas integrated autonomous driving operations base in Dubai.
The facility integrates core functions including daily vehicle operations, maintenance and upgrades, safety management and personnel training. It is the first “smart hub” in the Middle East capable of supporting large-scale operation of fully driverless fleets, providing end-to-end technical and operational support for fully unmanned testing.
At the event, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, witnessed Dubai’s first fully driverless test vehicle take to the road and gave high praise.
He said that the issuance of the fully driverless testing permit, together with the launch of Apollo Go’s first operating base outside China in Dubai, marks a joint move to advance autonomous driving into a fully unmanned new phase and represents a key milestone in Dubai’s smart mobility strategy.
Since signing a strategic cooperation agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority in March 2025, Apollo Go has set multiple records in Dubai. In July 2025, it was granted Dubai’s No. 001 autonomous driving testing licence and formed the first large-scale test fleet. In September 2025, Apollo Go’s autonomous fleet appeared at the 4th Dubai World Autonomous Transport Conference as the only fleet offering public ride experiences. In January 2026, it obtained Dubai’s first fully driverless testing permit and put its first overseas base into operation.
Looking ahead, the two sides will deepen strategic cooperation to provide residents and visitors with safer, more efficient and more sustainable autonomous driving services, supporting Dubai’s ambition to become a global benchmark city for smart mobility innovation.