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The continuous technical developments have highly influenced the way our parents lived. The days have gone when people had cars with manual gear transmission and a paper map to locate the destination they visited. Today, we have cars with an automatic transmission system, GPS system to locate any location and many more. It would not be wrong to say that what once felt like science fiction is now turning into everyday reality. In the UAE, the glimpse of future transportation can be seen on public roads in the form of fully driverless robotaxis.

 

 

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A video of the same has brought a storm on the social media platforms. In this video, popular blogger Rafeez Ahmed experiences a robotaxi ride in Abu Dhabi—without any human driver behind the wheel. As Ahmed records the journey, the steering wheel can be seen moving on its own, smoothly taking turns, braking gently, and stopping naturally when a pedestrian crosses the road. “This is an autonomous robotaxi here in the UAE,” he says in the video, clearly impressed by the experience.

 

During the ride, Ahmed has installed a camera across the cabin to record the automated driving process clearly. The vehicle responds properly to traffic signals, detects people on the road, and follows urban traffic just like a skilled human driver would.

 

The driverless taxi service is the result of a partnership between autonomous driving company WeRide and Uber. In a joint collaboration, they have launched a Level 4 fully autonomous robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi. Level 4 autonomy means the vehicle can handle all driving tasks independently within designated areas, without requiring human intervention.

 

According to an official press release by Uber, Abu Dhabi has become the first city outside the United States to operate fully driverless taxi services. Addressing safety concerns, Ahmed mentioned in his video that the ride felt extremely safe and smooth throughout the journey.

 

Booking a robotaxi is almost identical to booking a regular Uber ride. Here’s how it works:

• Open the Uber app

• Select the option labelled “Autonomous”

• Confirm the booking

 

Once booked, a black Uber autonomous vehicle arrives—completely driverless.

 

Passengers can unlock the robotaxi directly through the Uber app by tapping the “Unlock Vehicle” option. Inside the car, a tablet mounted at the centre controls the entire ride. With just one tap, the journey begins. The screen displays navigation details, safety alerts, and live ride updates, making the experience intuitive and user-friendly.

The vehicle’s steering wheel operates independently, executing turns, stops, and braking actions smoothly, while continuously monitoring traffic, pedestrians, and road signals.

 

Currently, the robotaxi service is available only in select locations as part of a trial phase. While some vehicles still carry safety personnel for monitoring, the long-term vision is to deploy a fully driverless fleet.

A commercial rollout of completely driverless robotaxis in Dubai is expected in early 2026, with plans to expand across other Emirates shortly thereafter. With this initiative, the UAE continues to position itself at the forefront of mobility innovation.