Driverless Electric Pod Trial Begins at Bluewaters in Dubai

The Roads and Transport Authority has begun a four-week trial of the Glydways automated transit system at Bluewaters, using driverless electric pods that travel on dedicated routes separated from regular traffic. Testing began on October 11th, with each vehicle able to carry up to six passengers and reach speeds of 50 km/h.

Unlike conventional public transport, the pods operate on demand without fixed departure schedules, taking passengers directly between points along narrow guideways that can be built at ground level or elevated. Each vehicle can travel up to 250 kilometres on a single charge, while passengers can adjust features including air conditioning and entertainment inside the pod.

The vehicles use artificial intelligence, radar, cameras and 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors for navigation. According to the authority, more than 10 pods can be virtually linked with intervals of less than one second, giving the system a potential capacity of more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions. The authority also estimates capital costs could be up to 90% lower and operating costs up to 70% lower than comparable transport systems.

The Bluewaters trial will assess autonomous driving, sensing, communications and control systems, alongside journey times, vehicle flow, reliability and ease of use. The results will inform the authority’s evaluation of whether the system is ready for wider deployment. The trial follows an agreement between the Roads and Transport Authority and Glydways and is being conducted with Dubai Holding, which is supporting the testing environment and operations at Bluewaters.