Dubai Launches Dedicated Autonomous Vehicle Proving Ground at Silicon Oasis

Dubai has taken a concrete step toward its ambition of making a quarter of all trips autonomous by 2030. The emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has inaugurated Dubai Mobility Labs, a testing complex at Dubai Silicon Oasis that combines closed-course tracks with a public-road corridor extending to Al Qudra.

The site is designed to bridge the gap between controlled trials and real-world deployment. It packs 248 test scenarios, 195 of which unfold in a multi-purpose zone built to replicate urban traffic conditions. Of those, 143 were part of the original blueprint, while 52 came later through upgrades. Companies including WeRide, Pony.ai and Tesla have already conducted trials there, and DEKRA will manage operations for the facility’s first three years.

Developed alongside the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, the hub also features three light-industrial units and three 60kW chargers to support participating firms. The RTA is betting that offering a seamless route from closed track to public street will attract more developers as the 2030 deadline approaches.

Mattar Al Tayer, the RTA’s Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, framed the project as a cornerstone of the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy. He said the labs provide an integrated pathway for developing, testing, validating and certifying technologies, helping speed a safe and orderly shift from trials to commercial deployment while preparing Dubai’s infrastructure and regulatory ecosystem for next-generation mobility.