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DUBAI / WAM
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in the presence of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the Dubai World Self-Driving Transport Exhibition, organised by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Speaking on the occasion, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said: “Dubai continues to strengthen its status as a global hub for innovation and future-driven technologies. Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we are working to make Dubai the world’s most future-ready city, the best place to live and the fastest in adopting innovations that enhance quality of life.”
“The Self-Driving Transport Strategy is a key part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which seeks to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its global leadership across sectors. We have adopted an integrated approach that prioritises research and development,
attracts investment, and embraces cutting-edge technologies to ensure Dubai remains at the forefront of global transformations, especially in the digital economy and emerging technology sectors such as artificial intelligence.”
‘’Our goal is to present the world with a model for autonomous mobility, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a pioneer in sustainability and a living laboratory for the future.”
The exhibition hosts 55 exhibitors representing leading companies showcasing innovations in self-driving vehicles and buses, robotics and artificial intelligence technologies, as well as smart and sustainable mobility. TENSOR unveiled its self-driving vehicles for the first time in the region, while the Chinese company XPENG showcased its autonomous aircraft.
The exhibition also featured vehicles from five consortia and companies participating in the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport.
The exhibition is being held as part of the Dubai World Congress and Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, with the participation of more than 3,000 attendees from across the globe and over 80 speakers, including senior officials, researchers, experts, and developers of advanced self-driving technologies.
Their Highnesses were briefed on the latest updates regarding the launch of the self-driving taxi service, where three leading global companies — Baidu Apollo Go, WeRide, and Pony.ai — have begun pilot operations of more than 60 self-driving vehicles in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim. The service is scheduled to be launched commercially without a driver in 2026.
Their Highnesses listened to a briefing from Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, on the unified visual identity to be applied to all self-driving vehicles operated by companies in Dubai under the name ‘Dubai Future Ride’. These vehicles will offer passengers an exceptional experience through interactive entertainment screens powered by artificial intelligence.
They were also briefed on the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy 2025–2040, which aims to raise the proportion of trips made via autonomous transport from the current 20.4% to 25% by 2030 and 36% by 2040.