Dubai now takes the driverless concept seriouslyโliterally. With a new partnership between Uber, WeRide, and the Road and Transport Authority, the city might soon become the first in the world where no cab has a driver.
Dubai Sets the Target: 25 % Autonomous by 2030
25% of all rides in the city must go autonomous by 2030. That goal came straight from Dubaiโs Self Driving Transport Strategy, launched in 2016.
What once sounded experimental is already operating on the streets.
Dubai no longer explores possibilities. It pushes forward with implementation.
What backs this shift
- A national permit already issued to WeRide in 2023
- Public road deployment in Abu Dhabi since December 2024
- Full support from the RTA, led by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer
- A functional alliance between city regulators, global tech, and urban transport
Uber Handles the Platform. WeRide Powers the Vehicles.
Uber already owns the interface millions of users rely on.
WeRide owns the tech that can eliminate human drivers altogether.
Here is how the system will work
- Riders open Uber
- Request a trip
- Get matched with a self driving vehicle
- No driver behind the wheel
The tech is already validated.
WeRide operates across 30 cities in 10 countries. It holds legal driverless permissions in five of them, including China, the US, France, and Singapore.
Dubai now joins that elite list.
What Makes Dubai Ready Before Anyone Else?
Dubai does not face the same obstacles as cities in the US or Europe.
It has:
- Unified control under one transport authority
- Infrastructure designed for tech upgrades
- No weather conditions that interfere with sensors
- A strong history of private-public alignment
Cities like San Francisco and Phoenix still face fragmented laws and backlash.
Dubai moves with centralized precision.
The Timeline Already Started
WeRide secured a UAE permit in July 2023.
By December 2024, its AVs were live on the Uber app in Abu Dhabi.
Now the same system expands into Dubai.
The transition includes:
- Data collection across test areas
- Ride experience reviews
- Safety metrics validation
- Expansion across zones
Questions Still on the Table
Autonomous transport at scale brings unique challenges.
RTA and its partners will need to solve for:
- Cleanliness between rides
- Lost item recovery
- Passenger behavior
- Emergency overrides
- Interaction with non-AV vehicles
Last Words
Other cities remain stuck in legal disputes, public hesitation, or outdated infrastructure. Dubai does not face those limits. It has the leadership, the platform, the permits, and the vision. The system is live. The expansion is already underway.
Robotaxis no longer belong to the future. In Dubai, they already belong to the streets. If any city will reach full autonomous coverage first, all evidence points in one direction. Dubai leads. Others follow.
