Dubai Roads and Transport Authority announced the official start of operation of the fully autonomous RT6 taxi vehicle developed by Baidu Apollo Go. The system will be available to the public during the first quarter and will ensure safe and seamless mobility on busy roads.
Sheikh Hamdan rode a self-driving car to the World Government Summit venue in Madinat Jumeirah, marking an important step reflecting the emirate’s rapid progress in introducing future mobility solutions and translating its vision and strategic plans into real-world applications.
This milestone paves the way for general availability of the service in Q1 2026.
During the trip, Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on the operating mechanisms of fully autonomous vehicles, which work through an integrated system that utilizes artificial intelligence, advanced sensing technology, and autonomous decision-making systems, Wham reported.
It says the system ensures safe and seamless mobility within real urban environments and on busy roads.
The presentation was attended by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. Matar Al Tayer, Secretary General and Chairman of the RTA Board of Directors.
The operation of driverless taxi services in Dubai is the result of cooperation between RTA and Baidu Apollo Go, which was launched after a meeting held during the World Government Summit last year.
The meeting considered prospects for cooperation in the field of autonomous mobility and reviewed the company’s global experience and expertise, in line with Dubai’s direction to accelerate the adoption of future technologies in the transportation sector.
6th generation self-driving taxi vehicle
According to RTA, the vehicle is a sixth-generation self-driving taxi fleet, specifically designed to provide large-scale self-driving mobility services. It is equipped with more than 40 sensors including high-precision LiDAR systems, multi-band radars, and advanced cameras.
It said these technologies enable vehicles to have a comprehensive awareness of their surrounding environment, respond to changing traffic conditions and make real-time decisions in line with safety standards approved by the transportation sector.
Vehicle operation relies on a sophisticated software ecosystem that integrates real-time data, high-resolution maps, and deep learning algorithms.
This will enable efficient navigation in complex urban environments and interaction with intersections, pedestrians and other vehicles, while fully complying with traffic regulations, it added.
The technology is backed by extensive operational experience, with operator vehicles completing over 150 million km of safe driving and over 10 million self-driving mobility trips across multiple cities.
large-scale commercial development
This experience has contributed to the development of a mature and scalable operating model that meets the requirements of large-scale commercial deployments.
RTA’s cooperation with Chinese business group Baidu has made rapid progress in a short period of time, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the start of operational trials of autonomous vehicles on selected roads across the emirate.
The transition from the planning stage to actual implementation was achieved within approximately 10 months, reflecting the efficiency of Dubai’s regulatory framework, speed of decision-making and smart infrastructure readiness.
Baidu Apollo Go has opened a self-driving vehicle operations and control center in Dubai, making it the company’s first operations center outside China.
The move reflects global companies’ confidence in the emirate’s highly regulatory environment and ability to accommodate and develop next-generation mobility technologies, and also plans to expand the company’s self-driving fleet in Dubai to more than 1,000 vehicles in the coming years.
An integrated hub for autonomous vehicle fleets
The center is located in Dubai Science Park and covers an area of 2,000 square meters. It is designed as a fully integrated hub for managing and operating autonomous vehicle fleets and consists of a command and control center, simulation and training rooms, and operations and maintenance facilities.
This center allows us to manage daily operations, continuously monitor vehicle performance, update software, and carry out maintenance and technical inspection activities. It also supports safety testing and ensures a quick and effective response to operational commands.
The facility will serve as a critical link between smart road infrastructure, vehicle systems and decision-making centers, strengthening the ecosystem’s readiness for the gradual expansion of self-driving taxi services across the emirate.
This development marks an important milestone in Dubai’s efforts to promote a smart and sustainable mobility system based on innovation, AI deployment and partnerships with the world’s leading companies. This will contribute to improving quality of life, increasing mobility efficiency and strengthening Dubai’s position as a global leader in predicting and shaping the future of transport.
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