Baidu’s autonomous driving unit Apollo Go and UAE-based mobility company K2 have launched a fully driverless ride-hailing service on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, marking the start of commercial robotaxi operations without a human safety driver in the emirate.
The service, operated through K2’s AutoGo app, follows the granting of one of Abu Dhabi’s first permits for fully autonomous commercial operations in mid-November 2025. The initial rollout is limited to Yas Island, a major leisure and entertainment district, with phased expansion planned across other parts of the city.
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The partners said future service areas are expected to include Reem Island, Al Maryah Island and Saadiyat Island, before a broader rollout across the emirate. Under a next-phase agreement, the fleet is set to expand to hundreds of autonomous vehicles by 2026, as part of an effort to establish Abu Dhabi’s largest driverless ride-hailing network.
Apollo Go brings experience from large-scale deployments in China, where it has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometres globally, including over 140 million kilometres in fully driverless mode. The platform operates across 22 cities and provides more than 250,000 rides per week, according to company data.
See also: Dubai Issues First Fully Driverless Trial Permit to Baidu’s Apollo Go
“Progressing from partnership agreement to live driverless operations within a short period reflects both the maturity of the technology and strong regulatory support in Abu Dhabi,” said Liang Zhang, Managing Director for EMEA at Baidu Apollo.
Sean Teo, Managing Director at K2, said the launch represents a shift from pilot programmes to real-world deployment of autonomous mobility services in the emirate.
