Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a new agreement with Uber Technologies and autonomous driving firm WeRide to begin pilot operations of self-driving vehicles later this year, marking a key step toward the city’s broader smart mobility goals.
Pilot phase to begin
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines plans to launch autonomous vehicles in Dubai via the Uber app, starting with a pilot phase in 2025. These initial operations will include safety drivers, with a full commercial rollout of driverless services expected by 2026.
Field preparations for the pilot are already underway, jointly managed by Uber and WeRide under the oversight of RTA.
The agreement was signed by senior representatives from all three parties, including Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency at RTA; Frans Hiemstra, Regional General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Uber; and Eric Dong, Director of Capital Markets and Corporate Development at WeRide.
Supporting Dubai’s transport vision
The move supports the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to make 25% of all transport trips in the city autonomous by 2030.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, said:
“The introduction of autonomous vehicles in Dubai represents a significant leap towards a smart and sustainable future for mobility, in line with the vision of our leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city.”
“This MoU reinforces Dubai’s global leadership in adopting advanced and sustainable transport solutions, embracing state-of-the-art technologies, and fostering innovative mobility initiatives.”
He also noted that autonomous vehicles will help improve safety and connect different parts of the public transport system, enhancing first- and last-mile connectivity.
Expanding global partnerships
The agreement is part of Dubai’s broader strategy to position itself as a hub for innovative mobility technologies.
“The RTA is expanding its global partnerships to deploy a wide range of autonomous mobility solutions, including self-driving vehicles, air taxis, marine transport modes, and autonomous taxis,” Al Tayer said.
“This drive reinforces Dubai’s global leadership in autonomous mobility and elevates its position as a preferred destination for investment in smart mobility and artificial intelligence.”
Frans Hiemstra from Uber said: “At Uber, we are building the future of transportation, one we see as autonomous, electric, and shared. Today we’re thrilled to ink our partnership with RTA to expand our autonomous vehicles operations in the UAE by launching in Dubai in 2025, starting with WeRide as our first technology partner.”
Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide, added: “We are accelerating our international expansion, with the Middle East as a strategic priority… We are fully aligned with Dubai Government’s ambitious vision to make 25% of all transportation trips autonomous by 2030 and are proud to support this goal with our advanced technology and global experience.”
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
