CaoCao has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with K2, an Abu Dhabi government-owned AI technology company, to deploy its first Robotaxi fleet in the United Arab Emirates this year. Under the agreement, the two parties will jointly advance the commercial deployment and operation of Robotaxis in the UAE, with local testing and validation set to begin in Abu Dhabi this year. The partnership follows CaoCao’s earlier cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
Highlights
- CaoCao and K2, an Abu Dhabi government-owned AI technology company, signed a strategic cooperation agreement to deploy Robotaxis in the UAE.
- CaoCao plans to deploy its first UAE Robotaxi fleet this year, with local testing and validation beginning in Abu Dhabi.
- CaoCao’s purpose-built Robotaxi is scheduled for mass production in 2027.
- The company is targeting a cumulative 100,000 Robotaxis and 100,000 Robovans by 2030.
Inside the CaoCao-K2 Agreement
The agreement divides responsibilities between the two partners. K2 will draw on its local resources, strategic partnerships, and understanding of the UAE’s mobility and technology ecosystem, providing access to testing and validation environments, operational infrastructure, and other resources needed for deployment.
CaoCao will contribute its purpose-built vehicles, vehicle operations, and platform management, supplying vehicles for operation along with technical support and professional training. Together, the two companies say they will support the development of Abu Dhabi’s Robotaxi service system, and both have signaled intent to pursue broader autonomous driving cooperation across additional areas and regions.
Abu Dhabi as a Middle East Anchor
CaoCao is positioning Abu Dhabi as the anchor point for its Robotaxi push into the Middle East and other overseas markets. The emirate has become one of the most active robotaxi markets outside the United States and China, with multiple operators now scaling driverless services across Abu Dhabi. For CaoCao, the K2 deal moves its stated Middle East ambitions from cooperation framework toward on-the-ground testing.
CaoCao’s RoboX Robotaxi Roadmap
The Abu Dhabi project sits within CaoCao’s broader RoboX program. As the primary commercialization platform for Geely Holding Group’s RoboX strategy, CaoCao recently launched the RoboX initiative, which the company describes as an effort to build a global physical AI mobility technology platform spanning intelligent vehicles, driving technology, and operations.
The company has unveiled what it calls China’s first purpose-built Robotaxi, which is scheduled for mass production in 2027. By 2030, CaoCao plans to deploy a cumulative total of 100,000 Robotaxis and 100,000 Robovans, a shift the company frames as moving autonomous driving from demonstration projects toward large-scale operations.
Sign up for our weekly emails to stay up to date on the latest news!
