Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, 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 2027 will be dedicated to the theme: Smart Integrated Infrastructure.

Companies will compete to design systems and infrastructure that harness digital technologies such as sensors, internet connectivity, and data analytics to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of urban and public services. The infrastructure will be characterised by the integration of its core components, sustainability to ensure efficiency & reduce environmental impact, and intelligence in the use and analysis of data to improve performance.

This announcement was made at the conclusion of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport 2025, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which brought together more than 3,000 participants from across the globe and featured over 80 speakers, including senior officials, researchers, leading experts, and developers of advanced self-driving mobility.

Four Agreements
During the Congress, RTA signed four agreements with Emaar Properties, Al-Futtaim , and with the winners of the 2025 Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport — the consortium of WeRide and Deutsche Bahn, and Zelos Technology. The agreements are designed to showcase and test self-driving technologies.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA; His Excellency Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of Emaar and Noon, and Chairman of Eagle Hills; and His Excellency Omar Abdullah Al Futtaim, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Al-Futtaim Real Estate , witnessed the signing of two agreements between RTA, Emaar Properties, and Al-Futtaim to launch the Dubai Autonomous Transport Zone at Festival City and Creek Harbour districts.

The agreements were signed on behalf of RTA by Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency; on behalf of Emaar Properties by Ahmad Thani Al Matrooshi, Executive Director; and on behalf of Al-Futtaim Real Estate by Naaman Atallah, President of Al-Futtaim Real Estate.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer; Dr Tony Xu Han, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WeRide; and Mr Kong Qi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zelos Technology, witnessed the signing of two agreements between RTA, the consortium of WeRide and Deutsche Bahn, first-place winner of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, and Zelos Technology, second-place winner.

The agreements provide for exchanging expertise and exploring opportunities to showcase and test self-driving technologies in Dubai, alongside the development of innovative solutions in sustainable and smart mobility. 

They were signed on behalf of RTA by Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency; on behalf of the consortium of WeRide and Deutsche Bahn by Ms Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer and Head of International Affairs at WeRide; and on behalf of Zelos Technology by Mr Wang Yongbo, UAE General Manager.

Global Lab
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer stated: “The signing of these agreements reflects the vision of the wise leadership to position Dubai as the smartest city in the world and strengthen its role as a global testbed for future technologies. It also underscores RTA’s commitment to supporting innovative solutions and adopting the latest international technologies that advance and enhance the ecosystem of sustainable and smart mobility in Dubai.”

“We believe that investment in self-driving transport technologies is a key pillar of digital transformation. It supports our efforts to provide advanced services that improve customer happiness and quality of life. The agreements signed are among the outcomes of the Dubai World Congress and Challenge for Self-Driving Transport. 

The Congress serves as a global platform that encourages international and start-up companies to develop practical technologies. These innovations contribute to advancing smart mobility, enhancing road safety, and facilitating the movement of people through integrated solutions that support public transport, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and address existing challenges.”