Full-scale tests of autonomous tax will start in Dubai by the end of 2025, which will be an important milestone on the way to turning the emirate into a global hub for smart technologies and sustainable mobility. This project is being implemented under an agreement between the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Uber and the developer of autonomous solutions WeRide.

At the first stage, drivers-observers will be in unmanned vehicles to ensure safety. However, as early as 2026, it is planned to fully launch a commercial autonomous taxi service without drivers.

The tests will be carried out using the Uber mobile app, through which residents and visitors to the city will be able to call unmanned vehicles. As RTA CEO Mattar Al Tayer noted, the introduction of unmanned taxation is part of the smart transport development strategy, which assumes that by 2030 25% of all trips in Dubai will be carried out using autonomous vehicles.

The impact of innovative transport on Dubai's real estate market

Similar technology initiatives make Dubai even more attractive for living, investing and doing business. The development of infrastructure and the introduction of innovative transport are one of the factors in the growth in demand for real estate in Dubai, especially in areas with good transport accessibility.

It is planned to use more than 60 vehicles to collect data, map and analyze road conditions. Initial tests will take place in 65 specially selected zones across the city, including promising areas where residential and commercial projects are actively developing.

Frans Hiemstra, Uber's regional general manager for the Middle East, stressed that “the future of transportation will be autonomous and electric”. And Jennifer Lee, Weride's Chief Financial Officer, added that the company sees cities in the Middle East, including Dubai, as strategically important areas for further growth.

Recall that in Abu Dhabi, Uber and WeRide already launched a pilot autonomous taxi program at the end of last year, and now Dubai is ready to reach a new level of transport modernization.