Apollo Go takes off

Tech heavyweight Baidu Inc has stepped up the pace of its global expansion.

The company recently signed a multi-year strategic partnership with United States-based ride-hailing service Uber Technologies to deploy thousands of its Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on Uber's platform. The agreement covers multiple markets outside the US and the Chinese mainland.

The collaboration focus is on increasing the supply of affordable and reliable ride-sharing options by bringing Baidu's autonomous vehicles to Uber's extensive network. The first deployments are expected in Asia and the Middle East later this year.

Robin Li, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Baidu, said 2025 will be a pivotal year for the growth of its autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go, with plans to expand fleet size and ride volume faster than ever.

"Looking ahead, we will deepen our presence in existing markets while strategically entering new ones, capturing broader growth opportunities worldwide," Li said. He sees a clear path to profitability for robotaxis as hardware costs continue to come down, and the growth in operational scale results in greater efficiency.

Currently, Apollo Go deploys a fleet of more than 1,000 fully driverless vehicles globally. Its global footprint spans 15 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The company has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority to launch autonomous driving tests and services in the city. Apollo Go will deploy 100 fully autonomous vehicles in Dubai by the end of 2025, with plans to expand the fleet to no fewer than 1,000 by 2028, as the city aims to make 25 percent of all transportation trips autonomous by 2030.