Dubai autonomous mobility efforts are gaining momentum as the emirate expands infrastructure for testing and deploying driverless transport technologies. A new testing facility at Dubai Silicon Oasis will allow autonomous vehicles to undergo controlled and real-world trials before wider road deployment.
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in partnership with the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), inaugurated Dubai Mobility Labs. The facility combines dedicated testing areas with public-road trials to assess autonomous vehicles under different traffic and environmental conditions.
The project supports Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy. The strategy targets autonomous travel for 25% of all mobility journeys in Dubai by 2030.
Dubai autonomous mobility testing will cover 248 different scenarios. These scenarios allow developers to examine how vehicles respond to traffic conditions, road users and unexpected events.
The main testing area can recreate 195 situations that autonomous vehicles may encounter on urban roads. The original design included 143 scenarios, while later improvements added another 52.
Public-road testing adds further scenarios to the facility’s overall testing programme. These trials extend from Dubai Silicon Oasis towards Al Qudra, creating a link between controlled testing and real-world driving conditions.
The testing programme focuses on key autonomous-driving functions. These include vehicle sensing, decision-making and responses to changing conditions. Developers can first assess vehicles in controlled environments before moving them to public roads.
The facility includes testing tracks, traffic features, offices and operational support areas. It also contains three light-industrial units for indoor installations and related activities. In addition, three 60-kilowatt electric vehicle chargers support testing operations.
The RTA said the facility is designed to provide a pathway from initial trials to validation, certification and commercial deployment. This approach can help developers identify technical issues earlier and improve vehicle reliability before wider road use.
RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors Mattar Al Tayer said Dubai Mobility Labs provides infrastructure for testing emerging mobility technologies. He said the facility would help assess their safety, efficiency and readiness before deployment on public roads.
The facility has already hosted trials involving autonomous technologies and vehicles from companies including WeRide, Pony.ai and Tesla. These trials have demonstrated the site’s ability to accommodate different autonomous mobility systems.
DEKRA will operate Dubai Mobility Labs during its first three years. The company will manage daily operations, organise testing activities and oversee compliance with international safety standards and operational practices.
Dubai autonomous mobility development is also intended to strengthen cooperation across the wider technology ecosystem. Government agencies, technology companies, vehicle manufacturers, start-ups, universities and research institutions can use the facility for testing and collaboration.
RTA expects the ecosystem to attract autonomous mobility companies, investment and specialised talent to Dubai. It also aims to support companies seeking to develop technologies in Dubai for potential regional and international markets.
Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, said the project supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. He said Dubai Silicon Oasis provides infrastructure and a technology ecosystem for companies developing advanced mobility solutions.
The combination of controlled testing and public-road trials could help shorten the path from prototype development to commercial deployment. It also provides developers with opportunities to assess autonomous systems under conditions that more closely reflect everyday road use.
As Dubai autonomous mobility infrastructure expands, the new facility provides a central platform for testing technologies that could increasingly become part of the emirate’s transport network. The 2030 target will require continued development of technology, regulation, infrastructure and safety standards.
