Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has begun a commercial autonomous taxi service in the Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah areas in partnership with WeRide and Apollo Go.
The initial phase includes the deployment of 100 autonomous vehicles within Dubai’s transport network. Authorities have indicated that the fleet may be expanded over time, depending on demand and operational performance.
The service is available to passengers through the Uber platform, while fleet operations are managed by Tawasul Transport. Apollo Go also operates its own booking platform in collaboration with Dubai Taxi Company.
The rollout is part of Dubai’s wider efforts to introduce smart mobility systems. It aligns with the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to increase the share of automated journeys across the city.
Prior to the launch, the vehicles underwent testing on selected roads to assess their performance under local traffic conditions. The trials were conducted to ensure compliance with operational and safety requirements.
The autonomous taxis use a combination of artificial intelligence, sensors and high-definition mapping to navigate urban environments. The system is designed to respond to traffic signals, pedestrians and other vehicles, while operating within existing road regulations.
Operators involved in the project report that their autonomous driving systems have collectively covered more than 150 million kilometres and completed over 10 million journeys in different cities. This experience has been used to support the introduction of the service in Dubai.
The service is currently limited to Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two coastal districts with high levels of visitor activity, where passengers can book journeys using mobile applications.
