Dubai residents could soon see driverless taxis moving through their neighborhoods as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) begins pilot runs ahead of a full launch in early 2026.
Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA’s Public Transport Agency, confirmed that testing has already started in selected areas such as Jumeirah. The move follows partnerships with leading global autonomous vehicle companies Baidu (Apollo Go), Pony.ai, and WeRide.
“The idea is to provide robotaxi services in Dubai by the first quarter of 2026. It will be commercially available to the public,” Al Awadhi said during the Dubai World Congress and Challenge for Self-Driving Transport.
Earlier, closed-road tests were carried out at Dubai Silicon Oasis. After passing safety checks, Baidu and WeRide have now shifted to real-world trials in city areas. Together, they have deployed 60 vehicles, 50 by Baidu and 10 by WeRide. RTA has issued trial permits, with technical teams and independent experts monitoring every stage of testing.
To give people a firsthand experience, Baidu offered exclusive robotaxi rides to attendees at the Dubai World Congress. These early trials aim to build public confidence and prepare residents for the upcoming driverless future.
Once commercial services launch in 2026, robotaxis will gradually expand to more areas across Dubai. Eventually, they will operate without safety drivers. RTA says regulations are already in place to ensure that safety remains the top priority as autonomous transport becomes a reality in the emirate.
