Dubai is preparing to usher in a new era of transport as driverless taxis move closer to reality, with pilot runs already underway in select neighborhoods. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) confirmed that the official launch of commercial robotaxi services is planned for the first quarter of 2026.
Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA’s Public Transport Agency, highlighted that testing is ongoing in areas such as Jumeirah, following agreements signed earlier this year with leading global autonomous vehicle developers Baidu (Apollo Go), Pony.ai, and WeRide.
According to Al Awadhi, the aim is to provide safe and reliable robotaxi services across Dubai by 2026, making them fully available to the public. The initiative reflects the city’s ambition to lead in smart mobility and sustainable urban transport.
The pilot program began with closed-road trials at Dubai Silicon Oasis, where all three companies successfully completed safety assessments.
Following these initial stages, Baidu and WeRide have progressed to open-road testing, with 60 vehicles now operating in real-world city conditions — 50 from Baidu and 10 from WeRide. To ensure compliance and safety, RTA has issued special permits while its technical teams, alongside independent consultants, monitor every stage of the trials.
Public engagement is also a key part of the project. During the Dubai World Congress and Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, attendees were given the opportunity to ride in Baidu’s autonomous taxis, providing feedback to help refine the service ahead of its full launch.
These early experiences are designed to build trust and familiarize residents with the concept of driverless mobility.
Once commercial deployment begins in early 2026, robotaxi services will gradually expand across Dubai and eventually operate without safety drivers. With regulations already in place, RTA has emphasized that safety and efficiency will remain central as Dubai accelerates toward a driverless transport future.
