Dubai's Driverless Pod Trial Completes 3,000 Passenger Rides In Four Weeks

Dubai's four-week driverless pod demonstration at Bluewaters completed more than 3,000 passenger rides and covered over 3,000 vehicle kilometres, with system availability above 99 per cent, Glydways co-founder and co-CEO Mark Seeger told Khaleej Times.

The company said the Roads and Transport Authority is now reviewing the results to decide the next stage of the programme. No date has been announced for a public passenger service. "The focus now is on translating that operating experience into decisions about future routes and service design,” Seeger told Khaleej Times.

The Bluewaters demonstration used two autonomous electric vehicles, known as Glydcars, running between two small stations, called Access Points, on a dedicated section of existing infrastructure. It included rides requested through a kiosk, as well as coordinated operations involving both vehicles.

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Seeger said the trial was designed to evaluate how the complete system would work in Dubai, rather than simply test a vehicle on its own.

“The trial evaluated how the complete Glydways system performs in Dubai, including the vehicles, autonomous driving, network controls, stations and passenger experience,” he said.

The tests covered ride requests, vehicle movements, acceleration and braking, energy use, charging, precise docking at stations, boarding and departure. Cabin temperature and humidity were also assessed, along with noise, vibration and ride comfort.

Seeger said the company found that cabin conditions remained within the thresholds set for the trial, while docking tests produced data that could help shape accessible boarding at future stations.

“The demonstration builds on our testing elsewhere and provides local operating data to inform the design, capacity planning and operation of a larger network,” he said.

RTA launched the Bluewaters trial last month to examine whether the system could help close first- and last-mile gaps between public transport and key destinations. The authority has identified a proposed 2.8km route between National Paints Metro Station and Bluewaters Island for further study.

The final route, station locations and number of vehicles for a commercial service have not been decided.

“The immediate milestone is RTA's assessment of the demonstration results, including technical performance, safety, reliability and the passenger experience,” Seeger said.

He said a public service would require decisions on the specific route, Access Point locations, fleet size, guideway design, integration with the wider transport network, operating arrangements and commercial model.

“In practical terms, moving into commercial service requires a plan for the specific route: where the Access Points go, how many vehicles are needed, how the guideway fits into the existing environment, and how the service connects with the wider transport network,” he said.

RTA will determine whether and how the project progresses, Seeger added.

“Our role is to provide the operating evidence, engineering and planning needed to support those decisions and deliver a dependable everyday service,” he said.

Beyond Bluewaters, RTA is studying possible Glydways routes in Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Festival City, Business Bay and Mohammed Bin Rashid City. Seeger said the strongest uses were areas where residents, workers and visitors still face a significant gap between a Metro station and their final destination.

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