Trial run of robo-taxis by year end

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uber Technologies, Inc (NYSE: UBER), the world’s leading technology platform for mobility and delivery, and WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology.

Under the agreement, pilot operations of autonomous vehicles will commence later this year via Uber app in Dubai.

In the initial phase, the vehicles will operate with a safety driver on board, paving the way for the full-scale commercial rollout of driverless services in 2026.

Field preparations for the pilot phase are already underway, led by Uber and WeRide, with strategic support and supervision from RTA.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), along with Madhu Kannan, Chief Business Officer at Uber, and Ryan Zhan, Regional General Manager of Middle East and Africa at WeRide attended the MoU signing ceremony.

The agreement was signed for RTA by Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, RTA; for Uber by Frans Hiemstra, Regional General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Uber; and for WeRide by Eric Dong, Director of Capital Markets and Corporate Development at WeRide, in the presence of senior officials from all parties.

Al Tayer expressed his pleasure at signing the MoU with Uber Technologies and WeRide, praising both companies for choosing Dubai as the global hub for expanding autonomous vehicle operations.

Al Tayer stated: “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. It also supports the objectives of Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which seeks to convert 25% of all mobility journeys in the emirate into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030. 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.”

Al Tayer added: “Autonomous vehicles mark a major leap towards a more sustainable and safer future in transportation. 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.