Uber has put Baidu’s driverless robotaxis on its app in Dubai. Book an UberX or an Uber Comfort there now and the app may match you with an Apollo Go vehicle that has nobody in it. A dedicated “Autonomous” option raises the odds for anyone who wants one on purpose.
The service went live on Thursday. It covers select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two coastal districts, rather than the city as a whole. A third party called New Horizon Luxury Transport runs the fleet. Neither company said how many cars are on the road, and neither disclosed what a ride costs or whether a driverless trip prices the same as one with a human at the wheel.
One detail sits inside that mechanic. A rider who books a standard UberX or Uber Comfort in the launch zone can be matched with a driverless car without having asked for one. Choosing the “Autonomous” option makes it likelier, but it is not the only way into the back seat of an empty vehicle.
The one-day gap
The timing is the most revealing thing here. On Wednesday, Uber launched its first European autonomous rides in Zagreb, with Pony.ai and the Croatian operator Verne. Those cars went live with a safety driver on board, as Uber’s own announcement confirmed at the time.
