Prime Highlights-
- Dubai becomes first Gulf city to launch free public autonomous taxi rides.
- RTA targets 25 percent autonomous journeys across Dubai by 2030.
Key Facts-
- The first commercial phase includes 100 autonomous taxis across Dubai.
- Apollo Go plans to expand to 1000 units within three years.
Background-
Free autonomous taxi rides are now open to the public in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority made the announcement, calling it a major step forward for the emirate’s driverless transport plans.
The free rides went live on July 15, 2026, extending commercial driverless service across both coastal neighborhoods near public beaches.
Riders have two ways to book: through Uber or through the Apollo Go app directly. The first phase puts 100 autonomous taxis on the road, split between partnerships with Apollo Go and WeRide. Tawasul Transport handles WeRide’s fleet operations, while Dubai Taxi Company provides local support for Apollo Go.
Inside the Uber app, customers pick the Autonomous option to get matched with a WeRide vehicle, depending on what’s available in the area at the time. Tawasul takes care of dispatch and day to day control for these WeRide trips booked through Uber. Apollo Go customers book directly through its own app, with Dubai Taxi Company managing local fleet needs.
The current free rides mark a shift from December 2025, when Uber first offered WeRide passenger trips with a vehicle specialist onboard. The new service removes the specialist entirely, completing the move to full autonomous operation.
RTA launched commercial autonomous operations on March 30, 2026, following road trials that saw more than 60 vehicles from Apollo Go, WeRide and Pony.ai operate across the two neighborhoods by September 2025. The authority introduced Dubai Future Ride as a unified brand for all authorized autonomous vehicles.
The RT6 vehicles run on 40 sensors and detectors, reading road conditions as they happen to manage intersections, traffic signals and pedestrians without a human driver. The company had logged more than 150 million kilometers of safe driving by April 2025.
Under Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy, 25 percent of all journeys should run autonomously by 2030, with the fleet set to grow alongside demand.
