The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has launched commercial operations of its autonomous taxi service in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah.
This milestone comes in collaboration with Apollo Go and WeRide, global leaders in autonomous driving technologies, marking a significant step towards enhancing smart mobility in the city.
WeRide vehicles are made available to the public through the Uber app, while Tawasul Transport is responsible for fleet management and operations. Apollo Go, a subsidiary of Baidu, provides autonomous mobility services via the Apollo Go app in collaboration with the Dubai Taxi Company to support local operations.
Apollo Go and WeRide vehicles are available via the Uber app and the Apollo Go app in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two of Dubai’s most vibrant neighborhoods located near public beaches, allowing users to seamlessly book their journeys through either platform.
First Phase of RTA Autonomous Taxi Rollout
The first phase of the commercial rollout will see the deployment of 100 autonomous taxis within Dubai’s transport network. Plans are in place for a gradual expansion of the fleet in the coming years, in response to the growing demand for smart mobility solutions and in alignment with the emirate’s vision for a future powered by advanced transportation technologies.
In the lead-up to the launch, a series of operational trials of autonomous vehicles was conducted on designated roads across Dubai to evaluate system performance and ensure readiness for deployment within the emirate’s traffic environment, in accordance with the highest standards of safety and operations.
Autonomous vehicles operate within an integrated system powered by artificial intelligence, advanced sensing technologies, and autonomous decision-making systems, ensuring safe and seamless mobility in real urban environments and on open roads alongside live traffic.
The vehicles can interact effectively with dynamic traffic conditions, including intersections, traffic signals, pedestrians, and other vehicles, while fully complying with traffic regulations.
The system is supported by extensive operational experience, with the operator’s fleet having accumulated more than 150 million kilometers of safe driving and completed over 10 million autonomous trips across multiple cities worldwide. This track record has enabled the development of advanced, scalable operating models for commercial deployment, as per the statement.
