Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled a new driverless electric pod system aimed at enhancing public transport connectivity and reducing traffic congestion across the city. The prototype was showcased during the World Government Summit currently taking place in Dubai.
The electric pods are compact, fully autonomous vehicles designed to operate on dedicated tracks. Each pod can carry up to six passengers and travel up to 250 kilometres on a single charge. With a top speed of 50 km/h, the system is capable of transporting more than 10,000 passengers per hour in both directions.
The service will initially connect four major metro-linked locations: Bluewaters Island, Umm Suqeim, Al Quoz, and Dubai Festival City. The Bluewaters route will stretch 2.8 kilometres from National Paints Metro Station, while the Umm Suqeim route will cover 1.9 kilometres between Mall of the Emirates Metro Station and Madinat Jumeirah. The Al Quoz route will span 2.6 kilometres, linking Onpassive Metro Station with Alserkal Avenue and Times Square Centre. The longest route, serving Dubai Festival City, will extend seven kilometres and connect with the upcoming Dubai Metro Blue Line.
Passengers will be able to access the pods by scanning tickets, and safety features such as large handrails near doors have been installed. The pods are designed by California-based Glidways, which uses fully autonomous technology to significantly reduce infrastructure and operational costs. According to estimates, capital expenditure could be reduced by up to 90 percent, while operating costs may drop by nearly 70 percent.
The pods will run on narrow tracks similar to bicycle lanes and can be integrated into existing roads or installed above or below ground without major additional costs. While Glidways has been working with Dubai and Abu Dhabi authorities since last year and signed a preliminary agreement with an Abu Dhabi investment company in November, the RTA has not yet announced a timeline for the full launch of the service.
