The Future of Autonomous Ride-Hailing: A Growing Market
As autonomous driving technology matures, the global ride-hailing market is moving toward large-scale commercialization. As a leading player in the industry, Apollo Go has made significant technological progress while following a clear strategic roadmap for global development.
Global Landscape: Apollo Go and Waymo Lead the Industry
According to ARK’s "Big Ideas 2025," the United States and China are at the forefront of the robotaxi revolution, with Waymo and Baidu Apollo delivering the majority of autonomous ride-hailing services in their respective markets. ARK’s founder, Cathie Wood, has expressed confidence in the rapid advancement of autonomous driving technology.
In 2009, Google launched its self-driving car project, which became Waymo in 2016. Currenly, Waymo is having commercial operations in four major U.S. cities. In 2024, Waymo secured an additional $5.6 billion in funding, proving the capital confidence in the autonomous driving sector.
Since 2013, Baidu Apollo has been exploring autonomous driving technology. In 2018, Baidu Apollo received one of China’s first autonomous driving road test licenses and launched its ride-hailing service in Beijing in 2020. Since February 2025, Apollo Go has been operating fully driverless services across China, surpassing 9 million completed rides.
Waymo vehicle waiting at a railroad crossing in Austin, Texas
Strategic Opportunities in the Right-Hand Drive Market: One-Third Share of the Global Market
According to the Hong Kong Transport Department, Apollo Go successfully obtained Hong Kong’s first batch of autonomous vehicle pilot licenses in 2024, marking its entry into right-hand drive, left-hand traffic regions. Meanwhile, Waymo plans to begin testing autonomous electric cars in Tokyo in early 2025, marking its first step into the international market. Right-hand drive markets, including the UK, Singapore, Japan, and Australia, make up a third of the global automotive market, with increased competition expected.
The Middle East’s Potential: UAE’s Expectations and AI Investment
Beyond the right-hand drive markets, the Middle East has become a key target for Apollo Go’s globalization strategy. At the 2025 Dubai World Government Summit (WGS), Baidu Co-Founder and CEO Robin Li emphasized the importance of continued investment in AI and highlighted the breakthroughs in autonomous driving technology. H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, expressed high expectations for Apollo Go’s technology and proposed the use of an Apollo Go-powered fully autonomous fleet at future World Government Summits
Technological Breakthroughs and Cost Reduction: Key to Robotaxi Commercialization
Apollo Go continues to achieve technological breakthroughs and rapid cost reductions, which are key to bringing this service to the global market. The fifth-generation model costs around $67,200, while the sixth-generation model has dropped to $30,000, a nearly 60% reduction, providing a solid foundation for the large-scale commercialization of robotaxis.
Additionally, Apollo Go has fully automated its operations, including vehicle wake-up, garage entry and exit, self-charging, and maintenance, all without manual intervention. This boosts operational efficiency and cuts costs significantly.
Apollo Go’s RT6 model is already in operation across multiple cities, receiving positive feedback on its safety, comfort, and intelligent driving capabilities. With continuous technological advancements and cost optimizations, Apollo Go is poised to accelerate its global expansion, delivering intelligent, safe, and sustainable autonomous ride-hailing services worldwide.
Apollo Go, also known as Luobo Kuaipao, is Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service and a global leader in large-scale self-driving mobility. As China’s first fully driverless commercial Robotaxi service, Apollo Go integrates AI, big data, and automation to help build the smart cities of the future.
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Company Name: Apollo Go
Contact Person: Lei Li
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Country: China
Website: https://en.robotgo.com/
