Dubai to Pilot Glydways Autonomous Transit Network to Ease Congestion

Dubai-Glydways Agreement to Pilot an Autonomous Transit Network

Dubai has taken a bold step toward the future of urban mobility by signing an agreement with California-based company Glydways to pilot an autonomous transit network in the emirate. Announced during the World Governments Summit 2026, this move aims to ease growing traffic congestion and reshape how people move around the city.

What Is Glydways and How Does It Work?

Glydways operates small, driverless electric vehicles that travel on dedicated lanes rather than mixing with regular traffic. These lanes can be built beside existing roads, elevated above ground level, or placed underground as needed. Each vehicle carries about four to six passengers and can travel at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. The system is designed to feel more like a personal, on-demand shuttle than a crowded bus or train.

Cutting-Edge Autonomous Technology

The vehicles are packed with advanced sensors to see and understand their surroundings. Every vehicle is equipped with LiDAR sensors for precise distance measurement, radar systems for detecting moving objects, and high-resolution cameras for visual recognition. By combining these technologies, the system aims to deliver a smooth, safe, and fully automated ride without the need for a human driver.

The First Pilot Route in Dubai

The first proposed pilot route will be around 2.8 km long, connecting National Paints Metro Station to Bluewaters Island. This link is designed to show how Glydways can extend the reach of the Dubai Metro and make it easier for passengers to continue their journeys to popular destinations.

Expanding Links to Key Destinations

Several more routes are being studied to connect metro stations directly to some of Dubai's most visited areas, including Madinat Jumeirah, Alserkal Avenue, Times Square Centre, and Dubai Festival City. By plugging into the metro network in this way, the system aims to reduce the last mile problem, the often awkward, time-consuming final leg between a station and a person's actual destination.

Big Capacity, Lower Costs

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority states that a full Glydways network could move more than 20,000 passengers per hour. That is mass-transit scale, but delivered through many small vehicles rather than a few large ones. The system offers estimated cost advantages of up to 90% lower construction costs compared to traditional rail systems and approximately 70% lower operating expenses than conventional public transport. Lower costs matter because they make it easier for cities to expand networks quickly and offer frequent, affordable service without needing massive new highways or metro lines everywhere.

Public-Private Partnership Model

The project will be rolled out as a public-private partnership. In simple terms, this means the government and a private company share responsibilities, risks, and rewards. This structure is likely to help speed up implementation and innovation, while still keeping the system aligned with Dubai's wider transport strategy.

Timeline: Aiming for Launch Before the End of 2026

Glydways chief executive Mark Seeger is quoted as saying the company is working toward a possible launch in Dubai before the end of 2026. That puts the city on a relatively fast track from initial agreement to real-world services, turning futuristic concepts into a visible part of daily life within a short period.

Why Dubai Is Pushing for New Mobility Solutions

The project addresses the broader context of Gulf city congestion. Residents of Dubai spend about 35 hours a year stuck in traffic, roughly the equivalent of an entire working week, while those in Riyadh lose 34 hours. These delays add up to major economic and personal costs, and have become a defining feature of everyday life. The Glydways pilot is presented as one of the answers to this billion-dollar traffic challenge, a way to offer convenient alternatives to private cars without needing to build ever-wider roads.

Growing Interest Across the UAE

Glydways signed an interim agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office in late 2025 to study the system's feasibility in the UAE capital. This suggests that autonomous, lane-based transit is being considered as a potential new standard in multiple cities, not just a one-off experiment. The Dubai-Glydways agreement represents a significant step in the race to reinvent urban mobility through small electric pods, smart sensors, dedicated lanes, and tight integration with the metro network, all aimed at moving more people more efficiently, with less congestion and lower cost.

https://www.agbi.com/infrastructure/2026/02/dubai-to-pilot-glydways-autonomous-transit-network/