A technical team from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed field tests on consortia competing in the 4th Edition of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2025, which offers a total prize pool of $3 million.
The trials were conducted across four cities in China, using real-world road environments to evaluate their technologies.
Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency and Head of the Organising Committee of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, outlined the visit’s objectives.
“The technical team’s visit to China focused on four key objectives,” Bahrozyan said.
RTA conducts field tests on self-driving vehicles
Conducting field tests on the self-driving vehicles developed by the participating consortia in the 2025 Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport.
These trials are intended to assess both technical and operational performance in realistic and controlled environments, ensuring alignment with the Challenge’s criteria and international safety standards, the Dubai Media Office said in a statement.
The objectives also included gaining insights into each participating company’s capabilities through direct observation of their technologies and solutions.
The team visited headquarters, factories, and control centres of the participating companies to develop understanding of their operational environments, technical support systems, and internal processes.
These visits also aim to establish long-term strategic relationships and foster mutual trust, paving the way for potential future partnerships in Dubai’s smart mobility initiatives, the statement added.
The fourth objective involved defining the next steps of the Challenge by reviewing outcomes of field tests and assessing the readiness of the participating solutions for deployment in the Emirate of Dubai.
“The field visits to the headquarters of the participating consortia in the Challenge were conducted across four Chinese cities: Guangzhou, Xi’an, Guiyang, and Suzhou. These visits were part of a comprehensive evaluation process led by RTA’s technical team, comprising of nine members, in collaboration with the advisory jury panel with the support of both FEV Consulting and Arthur D. Little, alongside other specialised experts in autonomous transport,” Bahrozyan added.
Autonomous vehicle testing categories and methods
A total of five autonomous vehicles from various categories were selected for testing. These included a Robotaxi, two Robobuses, a Roboboat, and an autonomous logistics vehicle.
The evaluations were carried out using objective assessment methodologies and high-precision measurement tools, with direct monitoring and observation by RTA’s technical team and members of the jury panel.
RTA developed a field-testing methodology for the participating vehicles in the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2025. Tests were categorised into three main types.
Standstill Tests (Limited Vehicle Movement) focused on evaluating system performance while the vehicle remained stationary.
The assessments included sensor coverage, blind spot detection, verification of safety and emergency features, and mobile application. Each vehicle underwent five tests in this category.
Mixed Traffic Tests (On-Public-Road Driving) assessed vehicle performance in real-world traffic conditions on public roads. The evaluations covered key capabilities such as speed adaptation, overtaking, handling traffic signals and roundabouts.
For autonomous marine transport, the tests focused on boat detection and navigation within port environments. Each land vehicle underwent 17 tests, while each marine vehicle completed 6 tests in this category.
Dedicated Tests (Controlled Environment) focused on scenarios to assess vehicle performance in controlled conditions.
The scenarios included the user journey, interaction with pedestrians and other road users, stop-and-go functionality, and remote operation capabilities. Each land vehicle underwent three tests, while each marine and logistics vehicle completed seven tests in this category.
RTA is organising the 4th Edition of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport 2025, under the theme “Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy.”
The event will be held from 24 to 25 September, under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
The congress is the first of its kind globally, serving as a platform that brings together experts in the field of autonomous transport.
Participants include policymakers, technology developers, researchers, and academics specialising in autonomous mobility and related disciplines.
The event aims to accelerate the transition to smart, self-driving mobility, supporting Dubai’s strategic objective of transforming 25 per cent of all trips into smart and autonomous journeys by 2030.
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