Dubai: Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), announced that the 5th edition of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport in 2027 will focus on the theme Smart Integrated Infrastructure. The competition will task companies with designing systems that integrate sensors, connectivity, and data analytics to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and performance in urban and public services.
According to Emirates News Agency, the announcement was made at the close of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport 2025, held at Dubai World Trade Centre. The event attracted more than 3,000 participants and featured over 80 speakers, including senior officials, experts, and technology developers.
During the congress, RTA signed four agreements with Emaar Properties, Al-Futtaim Group, and the winners of the 2025 challenge - the WeRide and Deutsche Bahn consortium, and Zelos Technology. These agreements cover showcasing and testing self-driving technologies at locations such as Festival City and Creek Harbour in Dubai.
Al Tayer emphasized that the agreements reflect Dubai's vision to position itself as the world's smartest city and a global testbed for future mobility technologies. He stated that investment in self-driving transport is a key pillar of digital transformation, supporting advanced services that improve quality of life and customer happiness while enhancing road safety and reducing reliance on private vehicles.