ABU DHABI, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The UAE continues to accelerate its transition towards a smart and sustainable transport ecosystem, as autonomous vehicle operations expand, Air Taxi infrastructure advances, and regulatory frameworks, testing facilities and simulation systems develop in parallel, reflecting the shift of future mobility technologies from trials to regulated use on roads and in the air.
Dubai is at the forefront of this transition, with Robotaxis recording more than 4 million kilometres since the service was launched through August, and completing 7,613 passenger trips. The fleet comprises 144 vehicles, including 48 in active operation, completing around 50 trips per day, with customer satisfaction reaching 97 percent.
Operational infrastructure has also expanded with the opening of Baidu Apollo Go Autonomous Vehicles Operations and Control Centre in Dubai. Spanning 2,000 square metres, the facility includes fleet management, maintenance and charging services, software updates, safety testing, simulation and training, reflecting the development of an integrated ecosystem around autonomous vehicles rather than their deployment on roads alone.
In Abu Dhabi, autonomous mobility has progressed from operations to regulation and advanced testing. The emirate began trials of its TXAI self-driving taxi service on Yas Island in 2021, before subsequently expanding autonomous vehicle services.
In 2025, Abu Dhabi launched a pilot programme for autonomous delivery vehicles and announced the development of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Test Hub, which will use simulation, digital-twin technology, sensing networks and real-time data analysis to test and validate smart mobility and autonomous driving technologies.
In July 2026, Abu Dhabi Mobility introduced dedicated licence plates for trial and commercial autonomous vehicles for the first time. The two categories, “Test” and “Auto Drive”, provide clear identification of these vehicles and support field monitoring and sector management as operations expand.
Ras Al Khaimah has also established a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles following the issuance of Law No. (1) of 2026 regulating their operation. Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) has also developed the RAKTA Autonomous Vehicle Sandbox and a simulation environment to test vehicles and assess safety before moving gradually towards operational trials and future deployment.
In advanced air mobility, Dubai has progressed from announcing its Air Taxi project to testing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and developing a network of dedicated vertiports.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Skyports Infrastructure announced that VDX, the world’s first purpose-built commercial vertiport, had received regulatory certification for eVTOL aircraft operations.
Officially registered as VDX under the GCAA certification process, the facility became the world’s first purpose-built commercial vertiport to receive regulatory certification, paving the way for the future commencement of commercial Air Taxi services in Dubai.
VDX will serve as the first and primary hub within Dubai’s planned Air Taxi network, with three additional vertiports under development. Skyports is developing the network in collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The four-storey VDX facility spans approximately 3,100 square metres and includes two dedicated take-off and landing areas, rapid charging infrastructure for electric aircraft and advanced passenger facilities. It is designed to accommodate up to 170,000 passengers annually once commercial operations commence.
Ras Al Khaimah has meanwhile witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between RAKTA, the RAK Department of Civil Aviation and Chinese company Aridge, a specialised advanced air mobility company affiliated with XPeng, to develop, test and implement advanced air mobility solutions in the emirate.
The agreement builds on previous cooperation with XPeng Aeroht, which saw the first test flight of a flying vehicle conducted in Ras Al Khaimah in 2025. The new partnership expands the scope towards developing a more integrated ecosystem and a measured transition from initial testing to more advanced validation and operational trials.
In electric mobility, the UAE ranked first among GCC markets in electric mobility readiness and 22nd globally with a score of 53, according to Arthur D. Little’s Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index (GEMRIX) 2026.
The report showed that EVs accounted for around 9 percent of new vehicle sales in the UAE in 2025, with battery electric vehicles representing approximately 6 to 8 percent and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles around 2.5 percent.
The UAE’s charging infrastructure has expanded to approximately 2,800 charging points, including around 1,250 direct-current charging points and 350 high-power charging units.
The UAE is targeting electric and hybrid vehicles to account for 50 percent of vehicles on its roads by 2050.
Taken together, these developments reflect the UAE’s integrated approach to future mobility, combining autonomous transport, advanced air mobility and electrification with the regulatory, testing and infrastructure frameworks needed to support their safe and sustainable deployment.