UAE Cabinet Approves Federal Law Regulating Self-Driving Vehicles

A federal law regulating autonomous vehicles has been approved by the Cabinet, establishing a nationwide framework for the inspection, registration, licensing and testing of self-driving cars.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. The law sets obligations for vehicle agents, operators and passengers while defining the respective roles of federal and local authorities.

The framework is intended to bring greater consistency to autonomous vehicle regulation across all seven emirates while allowing companies to test new vehicle technologies under clearer rules. It also targets improved road safety, lower congestion and greater use of cleaner transport technologies.

Dubai already regulates commercial autonomous services through the Roads and Transport Authority, which requires a specific licence before an autonomous vehicle can operate on public roads. The emirate is targeting 25% of trips to be smart and driverless by 2030.

Commercial robotaxi deployment is also expanding. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the start of official autonomous taxi operations with a fleet set to include 100 self-driving vehicles, while Uber has begun matching riders in parts of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah with Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles.

Abu Dhabi has separately issued operating permits for fully driverless vehicles and introduced dedicated blue licence plates for both commercial autonomous vehicles and those operating in testing programmes.