A concept photo of autonomous driving Illustration: VCG

 
Chinese companies have become key players in the UAE's clean energy sector,mk contributing to the optimization of its energy mix and showcasing China-UAE green collaboration. Many Chinese tech companies are accelerating their role in the UAE's clean energy shift.

During a fireside chat with H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, at the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai on Tuesday, Robin Li, Baidu Co-founder and CEO, stressed the need for continued investment in AI, noting that investment in areas like cloud infrastructure remains crucial for advancing the next generation of AI models.

When discussing areas for AI deployment, Li highlighted autonomous driving - particularly robotaxis - which are poised to revolutionize transportation by significantly improving driving safety. Li stated that data has demonstrated robotaxis are 10 times safer than human drivers.

Baidu is ready to deploy the operation wherever the environment allows, Li said, when speaking of the expansion plan of Apollo Go.

South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday that Baidu is considering launching its robotaxi service to Dubai, citing sources, potentially making it the latest Chinese firm to expand in the region.

Data from Baidu showed that Apollo Go, Baidu's robotaxi service, is operational across 11 cities in Chinese mainland, including Wuhan, where it currently has a fleet of over 400 robotaxis, with some providing 24/7 services. Together, they have delivered 8 million rides to the public across these 11 cities as of November 2024. 

In October of last year, Chinese carmaker Nio, in collaboration with CYVN Holdings, launched the Nio MENA initiative in the UAE. This joint venture will introduce Nio's electric vehicle models and establish an R&D hub focused on AI-driven technologies, particularly autonomous driving. 

In December of last year, Uber Technologies and Guangzhou-based WeRide announced the launch of their ride-hailing partnership in Abu Dhabi.

The launch represents the first time that autonomous vehicles are available on the Uber platform outside of the US, as well as the most extensive deployment of commercial robotaxis beyond the US and China.

The UAE is also pursuing an ambitious green mobility vision, with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure aiming to expand electric and hybrid vehicle adoption to 50 percent by 2050, with a target of deploying 10,000 charging stations by 2030, according to the Xinhua News Agency in December of last year. 

The EV revolution is also being embraced by Egypt and Turkey, where Chinese automakers have either established assembly plants or formed partnerships to support domestic EV manufacturing.

Chinese EV brands, such as BYD, Geely and MG, are also gaining traction across the Middle East. In 2023, Chinese EVs accounted for about 61 percent of the EV market in Israel, a share that rose to 68.31 percent in the first half of 2024. In Jordan, 87 percent of EVs cleared from its free zone in 2023 were from China, according to the Jordan Free Zones Investor Commission, Xinhua said. 

Further reinforcing this trend, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority recently welcomed Chinese-made electric buses into its public transit network.

Global Times