(Yicai) March 3 -- Apollo Go, Pony.ai, and WeRide, China’s three biggest driverless taxi providers, have temporarily halted some services in the Middle East and are allowing local employees to work from home as the Middle East conflict escalates in the wake of US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

All of WeRide's robotaxis in Dubai have been moved into indoor parking lots, Zhan Liangfei, who works for the Guangzhou-based firm in the Persian Gulf emirate, told Yicai. Staff are working from home to avoid going out unnecessarily, reducing the risk from potential attacks and falling debris, Zhan added.

The Dubai WeRide team immediately stockpiled daily necessities after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, establishing supply links with a local Chinese supermarket, Zhan said, adding that water, electricity, and internet services in Dubai remain normal.

Apollo Go, whose parent company is Chinese tech giant Baidu, said it has temporarily suspended self-driving vehicle testing across the United Arab Emirates in coordination with local authorities to ensure safe and orderly transportation. Its robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi is operating normally.

In addition, Pony.ai previously suspended road trials in Dubai and Doha, but resumed operations in the latter yesterday, the company said, noting it will stay in touch with the Dubai authorities and restart testing once it is safe again.

The Middle East has long been a top overseas destination for China’s autonomous driving firms, particularly tourist hubs such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The region's strong policy support, well-adapted infrastructure, lower costs, faster path to profitability, and favorable operating conditions have tempered many to launch local operations.

WeRide has been running robotaxis in the Middle East since 2021, with a fleet of around 150 cars across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh. Apollo Go launched commercial operations in Abu Dhabi in January, though it has not disclosed its fleet size, while Pony.ai remains at the testing stage.

WeRide's robotaxi fleets in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh are operating normally, with orders remaining largely stable and ride-hailing and delivery apps being unaffected by the conflict. Although the Dubai fleet was taken off the road, its local team continues to work on data training and operational optimization.

WeRide and Apollo Go’s Middle East expansion has been closely tied to international ride-hailing platforms. WeRide and Uber plan to deploy at least 1,200 robotaxis across the region by next year and reach tens of thousands by 2030, while Apollo Go is working with UAE mobility firm AutoGo on fully driverless operations in Abu Dhabi, planning to launch a ride-hailing service in Dubai alongside Uber this quarter and rapidly expand its local fleet to more than 1,000 vehicles.

Editor: Martin Kadiev