Dubai residents can now experience driverless taxis in certain city areas by booking an ‘Autonomous’ ride via the Uber app. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that the Robotaxi WeRide is now available through Uber.
Currently, self-driving taxis operate only in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, between 9am and 4pm, according to Uber. A ‘safety driver’ will be present during the trial phase before full autonomy is expected next year.
Best of all, the first 50 rides, valued up to Dh500 each, are free under Uber’s promotion until January 2026. However, rides are limited to the designated areas. For instance, a trip from Jumeirah Mosque to Kite Beach, which usually costs around Dh45 on UberX, is free with the ‘Autonomous’ option.
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Khaleej Times booked an autonomous Uber ride from Bâoli Dubai to Kite Beach. The 9-km journey, usually costing Dh39 to Dh49 on UberX, was free with the autonomous service.
To book, you need to be near a pick-up point listed in the app where these taxis operate.
How to find driverless taxi locations?
Open the Uber app and select ‘Where to?’ The app detects your location and prompts for your destination. After entering your destination, the ‘Choose a ride’ page displays available services.
If the ‘Autonomous’ option is unavailable at your location, scroll to find the ‘Autonomous available at select locations’ notice at the bottom.
Click the arrow for more details on the autonomous option, including a map highlighting locations in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim for pick-up and drop-off.
Zoom in on the map to find exact locations, including Lamer Beach, Jumeirah Mosque, Jumeirah Public Beach, Four Seasons Resort, and Kite Beach.
How to book an autonomous ride
Here’s how to book a ‘free’ driverless ride via Uber.
Step 1:
Open the Uber app and notice the ‘100% off Autonomous; expires on Jan 29, 2026’ prompt.
Step 2:
Tap the prompt to see a ‘Book Now’ option, offering 100% off up to Dh500 per ride on your next 50 rides, valid until January 2026.
Step 3:
Click ‘Book Now’ to go to ‘Plan your ride,’ select your pick-up and drop-off locations within the service area.
For example, select Jumeirah Mosque as the pick-up and Kite Beach as the drop-off to see ‘Autonomous’ as an option.
Step 4:
Choose ‘Autonomous,’ confirm your pick-up, and request the ride.
Step 5:
Your self-driving taxi is booked! Wait times vary from 5 to 20 minutes. A specialist accompanies the ride for safety.
WeRide vehicles are spacious, accommodating up to five passengers comfortably.
Currently, WeRide operates about 150 autonomous vehicles in the Middle East. Jennifer Li, CFO of WeRide, stated, “Our technology is globally tested, and we’re expanding rapidly with a vision to deploy thousands of Robotaxis by 2030.”
The RTA supports Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy, aiming for 25% of journeys to be autonomous by 2030, collaborating with Pony.ai, WeRide, and Apollo Go (Baidu).
Book a ride, get a massage
In September, Khaleej Times experienced an Apollo Go self-driving taxi trial in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, which included a back massage. The Chinese tech giant Baidu ensures passenger comfort.
The trial followed a pre-set route along Jumeirah Road, starting at Jumeirah Mosque, covering 4 km, and returning. Traffic was moderate, and the Apollo Go taxi reached 72 km/h, changing lanes effortlessly. A human driver was present for safety.
Apollo Go taxis offer four seats but accommodate three passengers during trials to gather data.
