RTA partners with Pony.ai to bring robotaxi fleet to Dubai
The Roads and Transport Authority has announced its latest plans to bring robotaxis to Dubai.
The RTA has signed a memorandum of understanding with American firm Pony.ai to bring self-driving taxis to the emirate.
Set to start supervised trials of a fleet of Pony.ai cabs in the latter half of 2025, it is believed that there will be fully driverless operations on Dubai roads as early as next year.
Dubai residents can expect an advanced fleet of Pony.ai vehicles to hit the roads next year.
This latest agreement follows previous deals with popular ride-hailing app Uber and Chinese firm Baidu to also start trials of autonomous taxis in Dubai.
Driverless taxis will be introduced to Dubai roads in 2025 (Credit: RTA)
Pony.ai collaborates with industry leaders, including Toyota, GAC Motor, and BAIC Motor, to develop its seventh-generation robotaxis. Mass deployment is slated for later this year following the vehicles' successful debut in Shanghai in April.
Its advanced sensor array handles complex scenarios ranging from high-speed highways to crowded urban centres like Dubai's business and financial districts.
Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency at RTA, said the partnership will help the authority in its goal to bring more autonomous options to Dubai.
He said: 'The collaboration with Pony.ai marks another significant milestone in advancing Dubai's Self-Driving Transport Strategy.
'This partnership is integral to our goal of transforming 25 percent of all journeys in the city into autonomous trips by 2030, reinforcing Dubai's position as a global leader in autonomous mobility and innovation.
'We are excited to work with Pony.ai, a pioneer in autonomous driving technology, to further enhance the integration of smart transport solutions in Dubai.'
Driverless taxis will be introduced in Dubai (Credit: Baidu)
Long-term plans for Pony.ai in Dubai include integrating robotaxi services with Dubai's multimodal transport network – encompassing metro, tram, and maritime routes – to create a future where autonomous vehicles complement existing infrastructure, enabling smoother journeys and reducing the city's carbon footprint.
Dr. Leo Wang, CFO of Pony.ai, said that they are committed to helping Dubai move to self-driving transport.
He said: 'Dubai stands at the forefront of intelligent urban mobility innovation, and we are honoured to collaborate with RTA on this transformative initiative.
'By combining our proven autonomous driving technology and extensive fleet operation experience, we are committed to accelerating Dubai's transition to autonomous transportation.'
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