Dubai to launch driverless taxis by 2026

The RTA has announced a strategic partnership with Uber and the Chinese tech giant Baidu. However, a test phase is planned for 2025 before autonomous vehicles hit the road without human intervention. During this phase, autonomous taxis will be driven by a so-called safety driver who monitors the vehicle's operation and is ready to intervene if necessary. This is a crucial stage before full implementation, which is intended to ensure the safety and reliability of the new service.

Residents and tourists will be able to order autonomous rides through Uber's WeRide platform or Baidu's Apollo Go app. The new technology is not only intended to increase the efficiency of transport, but also to make it more accessible to all users, regardless of the time of day or location. RTA plans to have 1,000 autonomous taxis on the roads of Dubai by 2026, and 4,000 by 2030.