Dubai Announces Launch of Self-Driving Uber Taxis in a Collaborative Initiative
Roads and Transport Authority partners with Uber and WeRide to roll out autonomous vehicles by 2026.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has formally announced a strategic partnership with Uber and WeRide aimed at introducing self-driving vehicles in the emirate.
According to recent statements, pilot operations are set to commence through the Uber app by the end of 2025, featuring safety drivers during the initial phase of deployment.
Following this initial pilot, a full-scale commercial roll-out of the autonomous taxis is anticipated for 2026.
Mattar Al Tayer, the director general of the RTA, highlighted that the integration of autonomous vehicles in Dubai underscores the emirate's commitment to evolving into the world’s smartest city.
This initiative aligns with the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to convert 25 percent of all mobility journeys in the emirate to autonomous trips across various modes of transport by 2030.
This agreement with Uber continues Dubai's efforts in autonomous transport, following a previous collaboration with China's Baidu.
In April, the RTA announced plans to bring 1,000 autonomous vehicles from Baidu to Dubai by 2028. Trials of 50 of these vehicles, which will operate under Baidu's ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, are scheduled to take place in the upcoming months for data collection and testing purposes.
The UAE has positioned itself to become a leader in smart mobility systems as part of its broader sustainability and technology adoption objectives.
In October 2023, Dubai initiated supervised testing of driverless vehicles on public roads after granting a trial permit to the US-based self-driving technology company Cruise, which is backed by General Motors and Honda Motor.
In addition to these developments, Abu Dhabi has previously launched the region's first commercial driverless mobility service in December, with Uber and WeRide spearheading operations.
The UAE capital currently hosts a fleet of driverless taxis on Yas Island, managed by TXAI, which represents the country's inaugural driverless taxi service.
Moreover, the RTA has indicated that electric air taxis are projected to commence operations in Dubai within the first quarter of 2026, in line with the ongoing advancements in transport technology and urban mobility solutions.
According to recent statements, pilot operations are set to commence through the Uber app by the end of 2025, featuring safety drivers during the initial phase of deployment.
Following this initial pilot, a full-scale commercial roll-out of the autonomous taxis is anticipated for 2026.
Mattar Al Tayer, the director general of the RTA, highlighted that the integration of autonomous vehicles in Dubai underscores the emirate's commitment to evolving into the world’s smartest city.
This initiative aligns with the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to convert 25 percent of all mobility journeys in the emirate to autonomous trips across various modes of transport by 2030.
This agreement with Uber continues Dubai's efforts in autonomous transport, following a previous collaboration with China's Baidu.
In April, the RTA announced plans to bring 1,000 autonomous vehicles from Baidu to Dubai by 2028. Trials of 50 of these vehicles, which will operate under Baidu's ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, are scheduled to take place in the upcoming months for data collection and testing purposes.
The UAE has positioned itself to become a leader in smart mobility systems as part of its broader sustainability and technology adoption objectives.
In October 2023, Dubai initiated supervised testing of driverless vehicles on public roads after granting a trial permit to the US-based self-driving technology company Cruise, which is backed by General Motors and Honda Motor.
In addition to these developments, Abu Dhabi has previously launched the region's first commercial driverless mobility service in December, with Uber and WeRide spearheading operations.
The UAE capital currently hosts a fleet of driverless taxis on Yas Island, managed by TXAI, which represents the country's inaugural driverless taxi service.
Moreover, the RTA has indicated that electric air taxis are projected to commence operations in Dubai within the first quarter of 2026, in line with the ongoing advancements in transport technology and urban mobility solutions.
Translation:
Translated by AI
