Residents may soon spot driverless taxis cruising through their neighborhoods as Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) begins pilot runs ahead of the official launch in the first quarter of 2026.

Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA’s Public Transport Agency, confirmed that testing is already underway in select areas, including Jumeirah. The trials follow agreements signed earlier this year with global autonomous vehicle leaders 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.

Pilot testing across Dubai

Initial closed-road trials were conducted in Dubai Silicon Oasis, with all three companies completing safety evaluations before moving to open-road tests. Baidu and WeRide have since advanced to real-world operations in city areas, deploying 60 vehicles in total — 50 by Baidu and 10 by WeRide.

RTA has issued special trial permits, with its technical teams and independent consultants monitoring every phase of the testing process.

Public engagement through exclusive rides

At the Dubai World Congress, select attendees experienced Baidu’s robotaxis firsthand, offering valuable feedback for future improvements. These early rides are part of efforts to build public trust and awareness as the emirate gears up for a driverless future.

Once commercial operations begin in early 2026, robotaxis will expand to wider areas of Dubai and eventually operate without safety drivers. Al Awadhi emphasized that regulations for autonomous vehicles are already in place, ensuring that safety remains a top priority.