Dubai announces lane closures on Emirates Road from Monday to clear the way for self-driving taxi tests

Dubai will temporarily close a portion of Emirates Road, one of the city's primary highways, from Monday to October 31 to conduct tests for self-driving taxis. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that three lanes on E611, near Al Maktoum International Airport, will be barred between 9 am and 4 am daily during this period. The Al Maktoum International Airport Tunnel will also be fully closed to facilitate the autonomous vehicle trials.

The closures are part of Dubai's ongoing efforts to integrate autonomous technology into its road infrastructure. In September, the emirate launched the Dubai Mobility Labs, a testing center designed to evaluate self-driving technology in a controlled environment before it is deployed on public roads. The labs, located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, feature testing tracks and simulations to assess various traffic scenarios and weather conditions.

Several companies have already carried out successful autonomous vehicle trials at the Dubai Mobility Labs, including Baidu, WeRide, and Tesla. Uber Technologies has also begun operating Baidu's Apollo Go driverless service in Dubai, with plans to introduce thousands of autonomous vehicles to the emirate. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, launched a self-driving taxi network in February, utilizing Baidu's Baidu Apollo Go cars.

Dubai's commitment to autonomous technology extends beyond the immediate road closures, with plans to establish a 15 square kilometer testing zone for self-driving taxis, delivery, and other service vehicles in Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour. This larger-scale evaluation aims to determine how autonomous transport can function effectively on a more extensive scale.