Dubai is gearing up to introduce self-driving electric taxis by the first quarter of 2026, a significant step toward a future of autonomous urban mobility. The Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) is already preparing for the transition, with a focus on cost savings and operational efficiency.
“We will end up saving a lot of money in our operations because there will be limited downtime when it comes to charging these cars,” said Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi, CEO of Dubai Taxi Company in a Gulf News report. According to Alfalasi, the new taxis will use swappable battery technology, allowing vehicles to be ready for use within minutes rather than waiting for a full charge.
“This means the car will be ready again in just a few minutes. That’s going to increase the utilization rates to much higher levels than we are seeing right now with our normal taxis,” Alfalasi added. The absence of drivers will also eliminate the need for breaks, ensuring almost 100% utilization of the vehicles.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has a clear roadmap to make autonomous taxis a reality, starting with a partnership with Chinese tech giant Baidu’s Apollo Go, alongside agreements with Uber and WeRide. The DTC itself will soon begin trial runs for its autonomous taxis, though the company has not yet disclosed the number of vehicles in its initial fleet.
On choosing a manufacturer for the driverless taxis, Alfalasi confirmed that the RTA has shortlisted three Chinese companies, though details are yet to be finalized. “With the exception of Tesla in the US, there aren’t that many carmakers offering full self-driving (FSD) features. Even Tesla hasn’t finalized the FSD technology in full. We will get there eventually,” he said.