Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has begun studying an expansion of its driverless pod system that would connect metro stations directly to residential neighbourhoods, business districts and tourist attractions. The move follows the authority's ongoing trial of the technology at Bluewaters.
Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA's Public Transport Agency, said the pods are meant to solve the "first- and last-mile" problem commuters face after stepping off the metro. "It will be good for areas which have narrow pathways and lots of traffic or people," he said.
Routes under consideration include a 2.8-kilometre link between National Paints Metro Station and Bluewaters, along with potential connections to Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Festival City, Business Bay and Mohammed Bin Rashid City.
The current Bluewaters trial, which launched Sunday, October 11, is set to run for four weeks. If that phase proves successful, officials said expanding the network to additional routes could take two to three years.
The initiative fits into a broader Dubai strategy of reducing reliance on private cars for short trips within the city, a push that has run alongside the expansion of cycling lanes and growing investment in autonomous transport technology in recent years. For residents, it points to a future where the walk from a metro exit to the front door could be replaced by a short pod ride.