Under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan, the fifth edition of the Dubai World Challenge invites global innovators to shape the future of smart integrated infrastructure.
DUBAI, June 16, 2026: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially opened registration for the fifth edition of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2027. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, this year’s global competition is themed “Smart Integrated Infrastructure” and features a massive prize pool of USD $1.2 million.
The challenge is designed to attract leading global innovators, technology providers, researchers, and academic institutions to submit pioneering solutions that advance autonomous mobility and support intelligent transport ecosystems. Interested parties can submit their applications through the dedicated registration platform at https://sdchallenge.awardsplatform.com.
The timeline for the prestigious event spans the next year, with the finalists scheduled to be announced in November 2026. The ultimate winners will be revealed and celebrated during the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport in September 2027. The $1.2 million prize money will be distributed across distinct categories targeting both international solution providers and high-performing local academic participants.
Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency and Head of the Challenge Team, emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative. “The Challenge forms a key pillar of RTA’s efforts to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global leader in autonomous mobility,” Bahrozyan stated. “It supports the Dubai Government’s vision of converting 25% of all mobility journeys in the emirate into self-driving trips by 2030 and contributes to RTA’s strategic objective of advancing a smart, sustainable, and connected transportation ecosystem.”
The 2027 edition targets breakthroughs in Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) integration to boost operational safety and transport efficiency. Participants are invited to tackle critical real-world use cases proposed by the RTA. These include automated valet parking, predictive traffic analysis, vehicle platooning, green light optimal speed advisories (GLOSA), and autonomous digital wallets. The competition is open to both market-ready technology providers and local academic entities, who can participate individually or as a collaborative consortium.
