Self-driving taxis to hit Dubai roads this year under China tech partnership
A fleet of 'latest generation' self-driving taxis will hit the roads of Dubai this year, ahead of the full launch of operations in 2026. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has joined forces with China's Baidu in a major transport partnership that will see 1,000 of the company's autonomous vehicles on the move in the emirate by 2028. Dubai will trial 50 of the cutting-edge cars – operated under Baidu's ride-hailing service Apollo Go – in the coming months for data collection and testing to be conducted. This will pave the way for an official launch of the service next year, marking a significant step forward in Dubai's goal to have 25 per cent of all journeys in Dubai to be made autonomously by 2030. The UAE aims to become a leader in smart mobility systems to boost sustainability and adopt the latest technologies. Dubai began supervised testing of driverless vehicles on its public roads in October 2023 after the US self-driving tech company Cruise, which is backed by General Motors and Honda Motor, was issued with a trial permit. In Abu Dhabi, Uber and China's WeRide launched the Middle East's first commercial driverless mobility service in December. The UAE capital already has its own fleet of driverless taxis on Yas Island run by TXAI, the UAE's first driverless taxi service. In addition, electric air taxis are expected to begin operating in Dubai during the first quarter of 2026, the RTA confirmed in September. On Friday, The National revealed talks are under way to begin manufacturing a revolutionary 'flying car' in Sharjah, a project that centres on a vehicle that can function on the road and in the air. Developed by Dutch company PAL-V, it was shown at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park this week as Robert Dingemanse, the company's chief executive and co-founder, spoke of the vehicle's potential. PAL-V describes its creation as a 'fly-drive' vehicle, or an advanced air mobility solution. The EU Aviation Safety Agency has formally issued a 'no technical objection' certificate for the vehicle, called the PAL-V Liberty, a hybrid of a three-wheeled car and a gyroplane.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
6 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station upgrade announced
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station will undergo a major expansion to serve more passengers in the coming years. Once completed, the station's capacity will jump from 7,250 to 12,320 passengers per hour, a 65% boost. Its daily capacity will reach up to 220,000 passengers per day. The project, in partnership with Emaar Properties, will increase the station's size from 6,700 square meters to 8,500 square meters. This will allow the station to handle the growing number of visitors, especially during busy seasons like New Year's Eve and national holidays, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said. 'The station is the best and easiest option for residents and visitors to and from the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall area, especially during New Year's celebrations and during holidays, occasions and national holidays. The station's expansion aims to accommodate the continuous growth in the number of passengers, and the expected increase until 2040,' H.E. Al Tayer said. He added that the expansion will help serve the continuous rise in passengers, noting that more than 110,000 people use the station during New Year's celebrations alone. From 2013 to 2024, yearly passengers rose from 6.13 million to over 10.5 million. Meanwhile, Daily passenger loads have risen from 43,000 in 2019 to nearly 58,000 this year. Al Tayer explained that the upgrade includes bigger entrances, wider platforms, more stairs and elevators, separate entry and exit gates, more ticket gates, and added areas for shops to increase revenue. New pedestrian bridges and better connections with buses, bicycles, and scooters are also part of the plan. The station's shell-shaped design will stay the same, with improvements for safety and easier movement for passengers, including people with disabilities, seniors, and families with strollers. Ground-level entrances will connect directly with public transport and pedestrian paths.
Dubai Eye
10 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
RTA announces expansion of Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station
Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Emaar Properties, has announced the expansion of Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station to increase its hourly capacity from 7,250 to 12,320 passengers to mark a 65 per cent rise. The expansion project has been undertaken to accommodate growing passenger demand, particularly during New Year's Eve, public holidays, and national events and holidays, the RTA said in an announcement on Sunday. The project will see the expansion of the station's area from 6,700 to 8,500 square metres, and once completed, it will serve up to 220,000 passengers per day. The project will also include work on enhancing entrances and pedestrian bridges to facilitate access, expanding concourse and platform areas, installing additional escalators and elevators, and separating entry and exit gates to optimise passenger movement. It will increase the number of fare gates and expansion of commercial spaces to boost revenue. #RTA, in collaboration with Emaar Properties, announced the expansion of Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Metro Station to boost capacity by 65%. In addition to the planned expansion of the station's area from 6,700 to 8,500 square metres, the project included provisions for enhancing… — RTA (@rta_dubai) June 22, 2025 Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said the project responds to "sustained and rising demand for metro services" at the "key hub". "Passenger numbers during New Year's Eve exceed 110,000, and the station has recorded an average annual ridership growth of 7.5% over the past five years," he stated. Since its opening in early 2010, Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station has experienced consistent growth in usage, Al Tayer added. "Passenger numbers rose from 6.13 million in 2013 to 7.254 million in 2016, reaching 7.885 million in 2019, averaging 43,000 boarding and alighting daily. 'In 2022, the figure climbed to 8.827 million, surpassed 10.202 million in 2023 (56,000 daily average), and exceeded 10.577 million in 2024, with nearly 58,000 daily boarding and alighting."
TAG 91.1
11 hours ago
- TAG 91.1
RTA announces expansion of Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station
Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Emaar Properties, has announced the expansion of Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station to increase its hourly capacity from 7,250 to 12,320 passengers to mark a 65 per cent rise. The expansion project has been undertaken to accommodate growing passenger demand, particularly during New Year's Eve, public holidays, and national events and holidays, the RTA said in an announcement on Sunday. The project will see the expansion of the station's area from 6,700 to 8,500 square metres, and once completed, it will serve up to 220,000 passengers per day. The project will also include work on enhancing entrances and pedestrian bridges to facilitate access, expanding concourse and platform areas, installing additional escalators and elevators, and separating entry and exit gates to optimise passenger movement. It will increase the number of fare gates and expansion of commercial spaces to boost revenue. #RTA, in collaboration with Emaar Properties, announced the expansion of Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Metro Station to boost capacity by 65%. In addition to the planned expansion of the station's area from 6,700 to 8,500 square metres, the project included provisions for enhancing… — RTA (@rta_dubai) June 22, 2025 Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said the project responds to "sustained and rising demand for metro services" at the "key hub". "Passenger numbers during New Year's Eve exceed 110,000, and the station has recorded an average annual ridership growth of 7.5% over the past five years," he stated. Since its opening in early 2010, Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station has experienced consistent growth in usage, Al Tayer added. "Passenger numbers rose from 6.13 million in 2013 to 7.254 million in 2016, reaching 7.885 million in 2019, averaging 43,000 boarding and alighting daily. 'In 2022, the figure climbed to 8.827 million, surpassed 10.202 million in 2023 (56,000 daily average), and exceeded 10.577 million in 2024, with nearly 58,000 daily boarding and alighting."
