Dubai autonomous taxis and electric buses

In July 2026 Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority introduced a commercial autonomous‑taxi service in the Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim districts. Operated by Dubai Taxi Company in partnership with Baidu’s Apollo Go platform and Chinese firm WeRide, the driverless rides are booked via the Uber or Apollo Go apps and cost Dh 5 per trip. The rollout follows earlier driver‑less testing permits and is part of a self‑driving transport strategy that targets 25 % of journeys to be driverless by 2030 and plans to expand the fleet to over 1,000 vehicles.

A month later, on 1 August, Dubai launched JLT Link, the emirate’s first fully electric community bus service linking Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Uptown Dubai. The service runs two circular routes, with buses arriving every 20–30 minutes, and charges Dh 3 per ride payable through a dedicated app. The electric buses replace existing RTA routes and aim to provide a cleaner alternative to private car use, reinforcing Dubai’s broader push for greener, technology‑driven transport options.

Together, the autonomous‑taxi launch and the electric‑bus introduction illustrate Dubai’s coordinated effort to modernise urban mobility, combining driverless vehicle trials with electric mass transit as pillars of its long‑term transport strategy.