In 2026, Lumo, the UAE’s national leader in smart mobility, will introduce a fleet of luxurious self-driving robotaxis in Abu Dhabi. This launch is in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and Momenta, a specialist in AI technologies for autonomous driving.
Utilizing Momenta’s L4 autonomous system and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, this partnership unveils the industry’s first scalable premium robotaxi built on a luxury mass-production platform.
Commercial services are set to begin in Abu Dhabi next year, with plans for expansion into global markets.
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This marks a major milestone in the UAE’s pursuit of futuristic travel, complementing various autonomous projects already underway, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Driverless transport in the UAE
Recently, Abu Dhabi became the first MENA city to commercially operate fully autonomous vehicles. The Integrated Transport Centre announced this after two weeks of trial operations.
The initial permits for Level 4 autonomous vehicles were granted to WeRide and AutoGo-K2. Abu Dhabi is the first city outside the US to host fully driverless taxis from Uber Technologies and WeRide.
Currently, services with safety drivers operate on Uber in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Airport, and Al Maryah Island. Uber’s system assigns an AV when both pick-up and drop-off are within WeRide’s designated zones.
Existing and developing smart mobility solutions in Abu Dhabi include:
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Electric/hybrid robotaxis (TXAI) on Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, and Zayed International Airport routes.
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Autonomous Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) electric pods in Masdar City.
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The Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster in Masdar City, fostering autonomous land, air, and sea transport.
Dubai will also see self-driving taxis next year, as RTA expands partnerships to deploy these taxis by 2026.
Three Chinese firms — Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide, and Pony.ai — received permits from Dubai’s RTA to conduct trials on designated roads, allowing on-road testing across urban Dubai.
Dubai aims to make 25% of all transport trips smart and driverless by 2030.
[With inputs from WAM]
