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Dubai robotaxis travel four million kilometres; customer satisfaction at 97%
The fleet currently has 144 vehicles, with 48 in active operation, completing around 50 trips daily as the city pushes towards autonomous transport
- PUBLISHED: Wed 19 Aug 2026, 4:53 PM
Dubai’s robotaxis have travelled more than 4 million kilometres and completed 7,613 passenger trips since operations began.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said that the robotaxi fleet includes 144 vehicles, with 48 currently in active operation. The city's robotaxis complete around 50 trips a day. Passenger response has also been strong, with the service recording a 97 per cent customer satisfaction rate.
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Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s corporate technology support services sector and chair of the Autonomous Transport and Aerial Taxi Committee, said that the figures show growing public acceptance of the technology.
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He said that the progress is an important step towards Dubai’s target of making 25 per cent of all transport trips autonomous by 2030.
How are robotaxis being tested?
Dubai is introducing robotaxis in stages rather than putting a large number of fully driverless vehicles on the roads at once. The vehicles are first tested in selected areas under real traffic conditions. This allows operators to study how they perform on Dubai roads, how they respond to different situations and how passengers use the service.
The millions of kilometres travelled so far are also helping companies improve the technology before the service is expanded further. The programme is gradually moving from vehicles operating with safety drivers towards fully driverless rides.
Which companies are operating robotaxis in Dubai?
RTA is working with three major autonomous driving companies, which are Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide and Pony.ai, to develop robotaxi services in the emirate.
The companies are testing and operating autonomous vehicles in selected areas while working with RTA on plans to expand the service. Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles are now available through the Uber app in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport operating the fleet.
This means passengers in selected areas can book a driverless robotaxi through Uber, bringing autonomous vehicles closer to regular day-to-day use.
Why is Dubai expanding driverless transport?
Dubai’s population has now crossed 4 million, increasing demand for taxis, public transport and app-based transport services.
During the first half of 2026, public transport, shared mobility services and taxis carried around 348 million passengers in Dubai. RTA sees robotaxis as another transport option that can work alongside the Dubai Metro, buses, regular taxis and ride-hailing services.
With more than 4 million kilometres already travelled and thousands of passenger journeys completed, Dubai’s robotaxi programme is moving beyond testing and towards wider public use.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.