Chinese self-driving firms playing key role on global stage

Chinese self-driving auto companies are intensifying efforts to make forays into overseas markets as part of a broader drive to bolster the large-scale commercial application of autonomous driving technology and enhance the competitiveness of domestic enterprises on the global intelligent automotive landscape.

Chinese tech heavyweight Baidu Inc recently announced that its autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to launch autonomous driving testing and services in the city.

As part of the agreement, Apollo Go will deploy 100 fully autonomous vehicles in Dubai by the end of 2025, using its sixth-generation robotaxi, with plans to expand the fleet to no fewer than 1,000 by 2028. The move marks Apollo Go's first international fleet deployment outside the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and its first entry into the Middle East.