From flying cars to AI traffic management: Dubai shapes the 20-minute city of tomorrow

Dubai is accelerating its push toward a futuristic “20-minute city,” where residents can reach work, school or leisure within 20 minutes, a top official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said at the World Government Summit.

Speaking at the World Government Summit, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of RTA, highlighted how Dubai is using autonomous taxis, AI-powered traffic management, and clean-energy buses to reshape urban mobility.

“For a long time, taxis were operated by drivers. Today in Dubai, autonomous taxis are becoming part of the daily commute,” he said, noting that starting with 100 autonomous vehicles, the plan is to hit over 1,000 in the near future as Dubai aims for 25 per cent of all trips to be driverless by 2030.

“Soon, flying taxis will connect the city as well,” he said, a day after unveiling details of the first phase of the Dubai Loop project.

Al Tayer also noted that residents currently spend more than 9 per cent of their income on transport, and innovation in mobility is expected to reduce travel costs while improving efficiency and safety.

“Guided by visionary leadership, Dubai has established itself as a ‘living laboratory’ for future mobility.”

As cities worldwide are responding to climate change and urban pressures, Al Tayer pointed out that Dubai is not just responding but “leading” the way, using technology and smart infrastructure to make mobility cleaner, safer, and more inclusive.

“Dubai is preparing for the next chapter of mobility, a future where a significant share of trips are autonomous, where taxis and buses are powered by clean energy, and walking, cycling and micromobility support this vision of a 20-minute city.”

The RTA chief urged global collaboration to set standards for autonomous transport, noting that innovation must be matched with safety and public confidence.

“We invite you to share ideas, challenges, work together, because the future of mobility is not something we wait for – it is something we create together.”