Dubai unveils futuristic self-driving zone with Metro, Robotaxis, boats, delivery bots

Imagine hopping off the Dubai Metro, gliding across the Creek in a self-driven abra, catching a ride in a robotaxi, and having your groceries delivered by a delivery robot – all in one seamless journey.

That futuristic vision is coming to life with Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Zone, covering hotspots like Dubai Festival City, Creek, and Al Jaddaf.

The 12-sq-km zone will feature 20 km of roads served by Robobuses and Roboshuttles, 10 km of waterways by autonomous Roboboats and 3.8 km covered by delivery robots.

Residents will also see Robotaxis, light-duty Robovans, and Robosweepers in action alongside the driverless Metro, making the city one of the most advanced autonomous transport ecosystems in the world. Public charging points will support the zone’s growing fleet.

The digital model of the zone was on display at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

RTA has inked agreements with companies like WeRide, Baidu (Apollo Go), and Pony.ai to introduce such services in the city. Currently, as many as 60 autonomous taxis are conducting pilot runs in select areas of Dubai.

According to Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA, pilot tests have shown promising results, with full Robotaxi operations expected in early 2026.

This initiative aligns with Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy 2025–2040, aiming to boost the share of trips made via autonomous transport from 20.4 per cent at present to 25 per cent by 2030 and 36 per cent by 2040.