Dubai, a city renowned for its visionary leadership and tireless commitment to innovation, continues to set the global standard in redefining urban mobility. 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, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially opened registration for the fourth edition of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport. Scheduled for 24–25 September 2025, the event promises to be a landmark forum under the inspiring theme: **“Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy.”**
This blog post delves into the multifaceted dimensions of this forthcoming congress, highlighting its purpose, vision, and the significant impacts it aims to generate for autonomous mobility not only in Dubai and the UAE but well beyond regional borders. Through comprehensive sections, we explore how the congress embodies the emirate’s ambition to lead in autonomous transport technology, the innovative initiatives spearheaded by the RTA, and the global collaborations that shape the future of smart, autonomous mobility.
Embracing Autonomy: Dubai’s Vision for the Future of Transportation
Dubai’s unwavering focus on innovation is epitomized by the Roads and Transport Authority’s strategic roadmap towards autonomous vehicles and smart transport solutions. The upcoming **Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport** serves as a pivotal platform for advancing this vision, aiming to accelerate the integration of autonomous transport modes into the city’s dynamic infrastructure.
Notably, the congress unfolds against the backdrop of Dubai's ambitious goal to transition 25% of its transport modes to autonomous systems by 2030. This target reflects a broader commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and enhanced passenger convenience. The integration of autonomous vehicles is not merely about technology—it aligns with Dubai’s overarching strategy to create a seamless, interconnected transport ecosystem that can serve as a model for cities globally.
The congress emphasizes **“Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy”**, a theme that conveys the progressive shift from traditional transport modalities towards a future powered by artificial intelligence, sensor technology, and data-driven operations. This transition facilitates reduced traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, increased safety, and greater accessibility for all sectors of society.
The Global Nexus for Autonomous Mobility Innovators
Over the past three editions, the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport has rapidly evolved into a preeminent global platform. As Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency and Chair of the Organising Committee, highlights, the event attracts an impressive array of local, regional, and international stakeholders—including technology innovators, government entities, investors, and specialists in autonomous mobility.
The congress fosters a fertile environment where leading companies and visionaries meet to collaborate, exchange ideas, and showcase cutting-edge developments in self-driving transport technology. This convergence is instrumental in accelerating industry-wide advancements and unlocking new opportunities for intelligent transport solutions.
Moreover, this edition uniquely features an integrated transport approach, bringing together various autonomous systems within a unified service framework. It exemplifies how multi-modal autonomous transit can operate cohesively to enhance passenger experience, reduce transfer times, and optimize urban mobility networks.
The 2024 Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport will be a highlight during the congress, with the winning consortium receiving a remarkable prize of $3 million. The emphasis on consortiums, comprising multiple entities, underscores the importance of collaborative innovation, as autonomous mobility solutions increasingly require cross-sector synergies—combining vehicle technology, infrastructure, software, and regulatory frameworks.
Riyadh’s Commitment: The Roads and Transport Authority’s Autonomous Mobility Initiatives
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai continues to spearhead an expansive range of initiatives aimed at embedding autonomous technology into urban transport. This commitment extends beyond hosting international events—a robust ecosystem of pilot programs, infrastructure development, and policy frameworks has been cultivated.
The RTA’s strategy aligns with Dubai’s Smart City framework, emphasizing technology adoption and digital transformation across all facets of transport. For instance, RTA’s autonomous public transport pods and driverless metro lines are already operational, setting the stage for broader system-wide adaptation.
Looking ahead, the congress will also spotlight emerging projects designed to overcome key challenges such as infrastructure interoperability, cybersecurity, and public acceptance of autonomous vehicles. Through partnerships with technology providers and research institutions, the RTA is positioned as a global benchmark for public sector leadership in autonomous mobility.
In parallel, Dubai’s regulatory environment is being continuously refined to ensure safe, scalable deployment of self-driving systems. Collaborative governance and clear legislative frameworks are critical enablers that the RTA and government officials are actively advancing to support innovation while safeguarding public interests.
Charting New Horizons: The Broader Impact and Future Prospects
The implications of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport reverberate far beyond the event dates. By championing transformative mobility solutions, Dubai fortifies its standing as a global hub for future transport technologies and a magnet for investment and innovation.
Through sustained focus on autonomous transport, the UAE is playing a pivotal role in shaping global policy discussions on city planning, sustainable development, and smart mobility infrastructure. The congress epitomizes the spirit of collaborative progress—bringing together governments, industry leaders, and academia to co-create scalable models that other cities worldwide can emulate.
Furthermore, as autonomous vehicles gain traction, we can anticipate profound societal shifts including improved quality of life, new economic opportunities, and enhanced resilience of transport networks. Dubai sets a shining example of how visionary leadership and strategic foresight can convert disruptive technologies into lasting public benefits.
The ambitious roadmap outlined by the RTA and exemplified by the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport heralds a new era in autonomous mobility. Stakeholders across industries and nations will find abundant value and inspiration from this event, held under the esteemed patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. As the countdown to September 2025 begins, anticipation builds for what promises to be a defining moment in the journey towards autonomous, smart, and sustainable urban transport.
Register today to be part of Dubai's transformative mobility future and contribute to the pioneering dialogue shaping the world of autonomous transport.
DUBAI, UAE, - 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, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened registration for the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, set to take place from 24–25 September 2025. The event will be held under the theme: Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy.
The fourth edition of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport will take place under the theme Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy, underscoring RTA's commitment to strengthening the leading role of Dubai Government and expanding the use of autonomous mobility technology at all levels. This edition of the challenge includes a variety of integrated transport modes that bring together multiple systems in one area for the use of passengers.
Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, Chair of the Organising Committee for the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, stated: "Thanks to the tremendous success achieved by the congress in its previous three editions, this event has become a global platform that brings together major local, regional, and international companies and entities operating in this field. It also attracts a large number of technology experts, innovators, specialists, decision-makers, investors, and government officials from around the world to explore and discuss the latest advancements in autonomous mobility."
Bahrozyan added: "The Dubai World Self-Driving Transport Congress aims to showcase Dubai's vision to transition 25% of the city's transport modes to autonomous systems by 2030. During the congress, the winning consortium of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2024 will be announced. The winning consortium will receive a prize of $3 million dollars, with participants in the challenge competing to present the most innovative solutions in autonomous mobility."
Companies entered the challenge either as a consortium of multiple entities or as a single entity, aiming to integrate several independent autonomous transport systems under one cohesive service umbrella.
Autonomous mobility has become a cornerstone of RTA's strategy. To this end, RTA is rolling out several innovative initiatives to bring autonomous mobility to life in Dubai.
