ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
In DRIFTx, and as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, K2’s AutoGo signed a contract with Baidu’s Apollo Go to scale its autonomous fleet to hundreds of vehicles by 2026, advancing the goal of building Abu Dhabi’s largest fully driverless fleet.
The collaboration represents a firm step towards supporting Abu Dhabi’s smart mobility strategy which aims for 25% of trips in the Emirate to be done with smart transport by 2040. It will help improve efficiency, cut emissions, reduce traffic and lower carbon emissions.
By leveraging Apollo Go’s state-of-the-art autonomous driving technology and operational experience, the partnership will accelerate the creation of a smart mobility ecosystem in Abu Dhabi.
The synergy between Apollo Go’s proven technology stack and Autogo’s local knowledge will bring residents a smoother, greener, and more connected way to travel.
Waleed Alblooshi, Vice President of Strategy at K2, said, “This collaboration marks a significant step in Abu Dhabi’s vision to become a global leader in smart transportation and future mobility technologies. By partnering with Apollo Go — one of the world’s leading autonomous ride-hailing platforms — Abu Dhabi is demonstrating its commitment to integrating cutting-edge innovation into its urban infrastructure.”
Liang Zhang, Managing Director of EMEA, Baidu Apollo, added, “We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with K2-AutoGo in Abu Dhabi and to secure one of the emirate’s inaugural fully driverless permits.
"Moving from our initial announcement to successful fully driverless testing in just a few months, and now securing the license, shows incredible potential and strong support for autonomous mobility in the UAE. This next phase, focused on larger-scale operation, brings us one step closer to a future of safer, smarter, and more sustainable transportation for the region.”