China's BYD is in talks with UAE authorities for driverless cars and to explore building a research and development centre in the Emirates, a senior executive has said.
The Shenzhen-based company, which overtook Elon Musk's Tesla Motors as the world's biggest electric vehicle maker late in 2023, has a “solid plan” that would help support the UAE's smart mobility ambitions, executive vice president Stella Li told The National.
Putting autonomous BYD vehicles on UAE roads is “one of the plans” and “we will build an R&D centre here, then we can work with the local authorities and deliver”, she said in Dubai.
She did not provide further details, but an announcement is expected in January.
Discussions are still in the early stages, but “we are in the process” of accelerating co-operation, Ms Li said.
BYD's fleet – which includes the Denza and premium Yangwang brands – is powered by its in-house DiPilot and God's Eye driver assistance systems with artificial intelligence, advanced cameras and Lidar, or light detection and ranging. They have Level 4 autonomous parking capabilities.
There are six levels of autonomy, from zero to 5, in which vehicles do not require human intervention under most circumstances. Level 5 requires no human attention and vehicles with that status may not even have steering wheels or pedals.
Ms Li said that the industry is nearing Level 5 – but regulation should take precedence as car makers need to make passenger safety a top priority.
That, in turn, would pave the way for greater adoption and help bring autonomous-vehicle costs down, she said.
“We're not too far [from] Level 5 … it needs regulation and conditions,” Ms Li said.
“Then our focus will be in the affordable mass market. The important [thing to consider] is safety.”
BYD's plans come amid a growing focus on self-driving services in the UAE, especially in Abu Dhabi, as the nation continues to boost smart mobility solutions.
Last month, driverless robotaxi services operated by Uber Technologies and WeRide officially began in the UAE capital. Chinese company WeRide's van-type Robotaxi GXR is equipped with Level 4 autonomy. The two companies also have plans to launch the service in Dubai.
Dubai Taxi Company is also planning to launch its first autonomous taxi service in the emirate by the first quarter of 2026, chief executive Mansoor Alfalasi told The National.
Meanwhile, Chinese car makers – despite facing challenges such as tariffs from the US and EU – have continued to boost their presence around the world with vehicles coming in sleek designs and at affordable prices.
The strategy – which includes a heavy focus on developing battery electric and new energy vehicles – has helped them disrupt an industry once dominated by car makers from Japan, the US, Europe and South Korea.
BYD had a market share of 16 per cent as of the third quarter of 2025, ahead of Tesla's 13 per cent, data released this week by Counterpoint Research shows.
In the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, BYD sales spiked by a third in the three months that ended in September, posting strong overseas sales in Europe, South-East Asia and Latin America, thanks to diversified sedan and sports-utility line-ups, the Hong Kong-based research firm said.
BYD does not disclose sales figures.
The company's focus on technology is able to “redefine” the driving experience and safety protocols on its vehicles, Ms Li said.
She also dismissed the perception that Chinese-made vehicles were of inferior quality compared to global competitors.
"[It's] nothing. Just bring our car with any other car they want to [have it] compete [with]," she said.
