Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a four-week trial of Dubai Glideways, an autonomous electric pod transport system, at Bluewaters. The driverless vehicles can carry four to six passengers, travel at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour and operate on dedicated lanes separated from regular road traffic.
RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors Mattar Al Tayer inaugurated the project on Sunday, October 11, by taking a five-minute ride in one of the pods. The system uses artificial intelligence, radar, cameras and sensors, including 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors on each vehicle, to monitor surrounding conditions. The pods are designed to operate on demand without fixed schedules, and passengers can adjust cabin air conditioning and entertainment settings. Each vehicle can reportedly travel up to 250 kilometers on a single charge.
The trial will assess safety, reliability, vehicle control, communications, travel times and the overall passenger experience. RTA estimates that the system could carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions, while reducing capital costs by up to 90 percent and operating costs by up to 70 percent compared with similar transport systems. The authority will evaluate the results before considering expansion to other areas of Dubai. Al Tayer said the project reflects RTA’s efforts to test innovative transport technologies under real urban conditions.
