Uber Adds Driverless Rides in Dubai: How to Request One

Uber has added Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go robotaxis to its app in Dubai, giving visitors another way to request a car without a safety driver inside. The new option launched August 20 in select parts of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, not across the entire city.

The simplest way to look for one is to open Uber, enter a pickup and destination in the launch area, and check for the dedicated Autonomous option. An UberX or Uber Comfort request may also be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle, but Uber has not promised that every eligible request will receive one.

How to request a Baidu driverless Uber in Dubai

Uber’s August 20 announcement gives riders two paths. They may select the Autonomous option directly, or request UberX or Uber Comfort and potentially be matched with an Apollo Go RT6.

Choosing Autonomous increases the chance of receiving a robotaxi, according to Uber, but the company does not describe it as a guarantee. Availability can depend on the pickup, destination, operating territory, active fleet, and demand when the request is made.

Enter the complete route before deciding that service is available. Seeing an Autonomous option somewhere in the app does not prove that a specific hotel, restaurant, beach, airport, or cruise terminal sits inside the operating zone.

If the app offers a ride, read the vehicle and trip details before confirming. The app is the place to verify the displayed fare, pickup point, passenger capacity, and any instructions that apply to that exact request.

Where Dubai’s Apollo Go Uber service works

The initial Baidu service is limited to select locations in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim. Uber says the operating territory is expected to expand later, but it did not publish an expansion date or a street by street boundary.

That makes this most useful for travelers already moving within the coastal districts. Visit Dubai’s official Umm Suqeim guide describes an area known for beaches and prominent architecture, while Jumeirah covers a long and varied stretch of the coast.

Do not read those neighborhood names as blanket coverage. The phrase “select locations” matters, especially when a route begins near a district edge or ends outside the launch area.

The announcement does not say that Dubai International Airport or Al Maktoum International Airport is included. Travelers planning an airport transfer should keep a conventional taxi, regular ride-hail car, hotel transfer, or public transportation option ready unless the app confirms the complete robotaxi route.

Cruise travelers should use the same test. Deep Arrival’s Dubai cruise port guide can help with the wider ground transportation plan, but only a live Uber route check can show whether the new Baidu option is available for a particular pickup.

What is actually new about this launch

Driverless taxis themselves are not brand new to Dubai, and Uber already offered fully driverless WeRide vehicles in parts of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim. The new development is that Baidu’s Apollo Go fleet can now be requested through Uber as well as Baidu’s own service.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority confirmed the addition in an August robotaxi program update. The authority said New Horizon Luxury Transport is operating the Apollo Go vehicles offered on Uber.

This distinction keeps the story useful instead of overstating a first. A traveler who has seen an autonomous car in Dubai before is not imagining it; Uber has expanded the number of technology partners available through the same ride-hailing marketplace.

The launch also creates a more visible comparison inside one familiar app. A rider can request a conventional Uber, be matched with an autonomous vehicle through an eligible product, or intentionally look for the Autonomous option when the route qualifies.

What the Apollo Go RT6 is like

The service uses Baidu’s sixth-generation RT6, a purpose-built electric robotaxi. Uber says the vehicle accommodates up to three passengers and carries more than 30 sensors for perception and onboard processing.

That three-person limit is important for families and groups. Four travelers should not assume they can squeeze into one vehicle, and three people with large suitcases should confirm the space shown for the offered ride before accepting.

Fully driverless means there is no human safety driver sitting inside the vehicle. It does not mean the car can operate anywhere in Dubai or that every route, weather condition, curb, and pickup point will be available.

Uber says autonomous vehicles must meet its safety guidelines before joining the network. The independent report from TNW also notes what the launch announcement leaves unanswered, including the number of cars in service and whether pricing differs from a conventional ride.

What travelers should check before accepting

Start with capacity. The RT6 carries three passengers, so a larger party needs another vehicle or a different ride type before luggage is even considered.

Next, compare the pickup pin with the place where you are actually standing. Hotel entrances, malls, beaches, and large attractions can have controlled pickup zones, and a driverless vehicle may not be able to improvise when a traveler waits at the wrong curb.

Check the destination as carefully as the pickup. A robotaxi appearing for one short neighborhood ride does not establish that it will be offered for the return trip, a late evening transfer, or a route that crosses outside the launch territory.

Review the displayed fare before accepting. Uber and Baidu did not announce a special price for this integration, so travelers should rely on the amount in the app rather than assuming a promotional rate or the same price quoted for a separate Apollo Go booking.

Families should also verify child-seat needs before requesting. The launch release does not promise a child seat, accessibility configuration, or luggage allowance, and those details should not be inferred from a marketing image.

How this fits into a Dubai vacation

A driverless ride can be an attraction in its own right, but it should remain a transportation choice rather than the anchor for a fixed reservation. Build enough time to switch to another ride if the Autonomous option does not appear or the pickup estimate changes.

Visitors going to Motiongate Dubai or LEGOLAND Dubai should not assume the coastal launch zone reaches Dubai Parks and Resorts. Check the complete route first and keep a normal transfer plan for an opening-time or ticketed arrival.

The same rule applies to a flight, cruise, tour, or restaurant deposit. A new technology experience is not worth missing a hard departure, and ordinary Uber products or other transportation should remain the fallback for time-sensitive travel.

Travelers curious about similar systems can also read Deep Arrival’s report on the teleoperated shuttle trial at Dusseldorf Airport. The two projects use different operating models, but both show why service territory and traveler instructions matter more than the novelty of the vehicle.

What to watch next

The most useful next update will be a wider operating map. Uber says expansion is planned, but the launch announcement does not say which districts come next or when airport access might become available.

Fleet size and wait times also matter. A service can be technically available yet difficult to match during busy periods, so travelers should judge the product by what the app offers for their real route and time.

Pricing deserves a separate check as the network develops. Uber has not said whether an Apollo Go match will consistently price like the requested UberX or Comfort product, or whether Autonomous will carry its own fare pattern.

The arrival of a second fully driverless partner on Uber is meaningful, but the practical win is still narrow. For now, treat it as an extra option in two Dubai districts, verify the route in the app, and never build a hard departure around receiving a particular robotaxi.