Driverless Pod Plan to Link Metro Stations in Dubai

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has outlined plans for a driverless pod transport system designed to connect metro stations with nearby destinations at four locations across the city. A prototype of the system was presented at the World Government Summit 2026, showcasing small electric vehicles operating on narrow, dedicated tracks to minimise traffic disruption.
The proposed network would serve Bluewater Island, Umm Suqeim, Al Quoz and Dubai Festival City. Route plans include a 2.8 km trial link between the National Paints metro station and Bluewater Island, a 1.9 km connection between Mall of the Emirates station and Madinat Jumeirah in Umm Suqeim, and a 2.6 km route in Al Quoz linking the Onpassive metro station with Alserkal Avenue and Times Square Centre. The longest planned route, at 7 km, would serve Dubai Festival City, with the option to connect to the future Dubai Metro Blue Line at a later stage.
Each autonomous pod is designed to carry four to six passengers, reach speeds of up to 50 km per hour and operate for up to 250 km on a single charge. The system is expected to handle more than 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The prototype includes ticket scanning, a help function, an SOS button and accessibility features.
The pods are developed by Glydways, a California-based firm specialising in autonomous mobility systems. According to the company, the model requires significantly lower capital investment than traditional rail systems and can be deployed alongside existing roads, above ground or underground, without additional tracks or overhead wiring. Glydways has been working with authorities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since 2025 and signed an interim agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to explore wider deployment.