Dubai, August 19 (WAM) - Dubai continues to accelerate its transition towards an autonomous mobility future as the self-driving taxi vehicles “RoboTaxi” have covered more than 4 million kilometers since the launch of the service and implemented 7,613 trips for customers, indicating growing public confidence in autonomous transportation solutions and laying the groundwork for the next phase of driverless mobility in the emirate.

“The RoboTaxi fleet currently consists of 144 vehicles, with 48 actively operating, and the service executes around 50 trips daily with a satisfaction rate of 97%, reflecting the growing acceptance of this technology and the quality of the customer experience,” said Ahmed Hashmi Bheroujyan, Executive Director of the Corporate Technical Support Services Sector and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Autonomous Mobility and Air Vehicle at the Roads and Transport Authority.

Bheroujyan added: “This operational performance represents a significant milestone in Dubai’s journey towards achieving its strategic goal of having 25% of all trips in the emirate be autonomous by 2030.”

The self-driving taxi program is being developed according to a precise phased methodology that ensures the highest levels of safety, reliability, and operational readiness.

Carefully defined operating areas allow for testing and verifying the technology’s efficiency in real-world conditions, supporting a smooth transition from trial phases using a safety driver to fully autonomous operation of self-driving transportation services.

The wide distances covered by the vehicles so far provide an important operational base for evaluating the performance of autonomous driving technologies, enhancing the experience of users and preparing for future expansion.

The partnerships of the Roads and Transport Authority with “Apollo Go” from Baidu, WeRide and Pony.ai are adding a new dimension to Dubai's public transport system.

By leveraging the autonomous driving technologies and fleet management expertise of these companies, the three companies aim, in cooperation with the authority, to set a global standard for intelligent mobility and contribute to establishing the emirate as a world leader in the field of self-driving vehicles.

The agreements signed with the three companies ensure that the Authority’s roadmap for launching autonomous taxi services in Dubai will be completed according to the specified timelines and approved plans, in line with the comprehensive and sustainable development taking place in all sectors of the emirate.

The development of the self-driving mobility system in Dubai is supported by strategic partnerships with major global technology and mobility companies. In this context, the Authority works with its partners in the field of autonomous mobility to expand access to driverless transportation and integrate self-driving vehicles into Dubai's mobility network.

These partnerships represent an important step in connecting autonomous vehicle technologies with Dubai’s digital mobility ecosystem. Through them, dealers in specific areas of the city can access fully autonomous taxi services without drivers, supporting the integration of self-driving into daily commutes and contributing to the emirate's vision of expanding safe, efficient, and sustainable autonomous transportation.

In related news, Uber today announced that Baidu’s Apollo Go self-driving vehicles are now available on the Uber platform in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport operating its fleet.

The accelerating development in the field of self-driving mobility coincides with the continued population growth in Dubai, which currently has a population of over 4 million. This growth contributes to an increased demand for comfortable and efficient transportation solutions supported by modern technologies, alongside growing reliance on ride-sharing and app-based vehicle services.

Performance indicators for Dubai’s transport system reflect this growing demand; public transport, ride-sharing, and taxi services carried 348 million passengers during the first half of 2026, with an average daily ridership of 1.9 million.

This integrated and expanding mobility ecosystem forms a strong foundation for developing and scaling autonomous vehicle services in the future.

Self-driving taxis are one of the key components of Dubai’s future mobility system, alongside public transport, traditional taxis, and ride-sharing services, offering a new model for safe and technology-driven transportation.

Having covered more than four million kilometers, completed thousands of trips for customers and achieved a satisfaction rate of 97%, the self-driving taxi program in Dubai is moving from the proof-of-concept phase to the expansion of autonomous mobility under real operating conditions.

Further expanding its mobility services will support Dubai’s vision to establish itself as a global leader in smart, sustainable transportation and directly contribute to its ambition that one out of every four trips in Dubai be self-driven by 2030.