Dubai unveils advanced testing facility to prepare autonomous vehicles for the roads
Dubai on Sunday launched a cutting-edge testing facility tasked with ensuring future fleets of autonomous vehicles are geared up for the demands of the emirate's busy road network. The Dubai Mobility Labs - based at Dubai Silicon Oasis - features a vast multi-purpose area including testing tracks where self-driving technology can be safely put through its paces before it hits the roads. The…
Dubai has inaugurated an advanced testing facility, known as Dubai Mobility Labs, aimed at preparing autonomous vehicles for the challenges posed by the city's bustling road network. Situated in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the state-of-the-art facility offers a spacious, multi-purpose area equipped with testing tracks where self-driving technology can undergo rigorous evaluations before being deployed on public roads.
Established by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, the high-tech facility plays a pivotal role in the emirate's ambitious plan to make 25% of all journeys autonomous by 2030. The Dubai Mobility Labs provides a controlled environment for simulating diverse traffic scenarios and conducting real-world testing on roads extending from Dubai Silicon Oasis to Al Qudra.
The testing ground is instrumental in assessing self-driving vehicles' performance under varying operating conditions, examining their ability to navigate challenging traffic and weather conditions across 248 test scenarios. These scenarios focus on the sensing and decision-making systems, their adaptability to evolving road situations, and overall vehicle readiness before trials progress to public roads and full commercial operation.
The Dubai Mobility Labs has already hosted successful trials of autonomous driving technologies and vehicles from global companies such as WeRide, Pony.ai, and Tesla. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, hailed the project as the "smartest integrated ground-testing of its kind in the region," emphasizing that it offers strategic infrastructure for testing the latest mobility technologies and systems in controlled and real-world environments.
The facility is crucial for verifying the safety, efficiency, and readiness of these technologies before their deployment on public roads.
The RTA has appointed Dekra, a global leader in automotive testing and inspections based in Germany, to operate the Dubai Mobility Labs for the first three years. Dekra will manage day-to-day operations, organize testing, and ensure compliance with international safety standards and operational best practices.
Meanwhile, Uber Technologies has commenced operating Baidu's Apollo Go driverless service in Dubai, with plans to deploy thousands of autonomous vehicles in the emirate. Initially, the service will be available in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim areas, with expansions on the horizon. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister, launched a self-driving taxi network in the city in February, with Baidu's Apollo Go self-driving cars making their debut in a commercial operation in September 2025.
In September 2025, Dubai also announced a 15-square-kilometre testing zone in Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour to evaluate autonomous transport on a larger scale.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
