By: The times of India

Dubai has launched a comprehensive regulatory framework to enable the operation of self-driving heavy trucks, identifying five key pilot routes across major logistics hubs. This initiative is part of the Dubai 2030 strategy, which aims to transform 25% of the city's mobility into autonomous transport.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has finalized a two-phase plan for this rollout. The initial phase focused on establishing key regulatory, safety, and licensing standards. The second phase has outlined the five specific routes where initial trials will take place: Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port Rail Freight Station, Dubai Investment Park, and Ibn Battuta Mall. During the pilot phase, some routes will be supervised by safety drivers, while others will operate fully without human intervention.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the RTA, stated that the framework supports the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and is designed to increase operational efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance traffic safety in the logistics sector.

This development follows a recent milestone where Dubai's RTA granted testing permits to three Chinese autonomous driving companies—Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide, and Pony.ai—to begin testing driverless cars on public roads. These steps collectively reinforce Dubai's goal of establishing global leadership in smart mobility.