Dubai RTA Begins Glydways Autonomous Pod Trial at Bluewaters

Four-Week Glydways Trial at Bluewaters

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, reviewed the system alongside Glydways Founder and Co-CEO Mark Seeger and Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer Blake Barber.

The presentation covered vehicle management, operational monitoring, sensing, safety and control technologies. Al Tayer also inspected the control centre and completed a five-minute ride at Bluewaters, a Dubai Retail destination under Dubai Holding, marking the start of the trial.

Over four weeks, RTA will evaluate the autonomous driving, sensing, communication and control systems, alongside safety, reliability, passenger experience, journey times, ease of use and vehicle management. The findings will help determine the system’s readiness and potential for wider deployment.

The trial follows an agreement between RTA and Glydways to develop Dubai’s first automated transit network programme of its kind. A separate partnership with Dubai Holding covers the trial infrastructure, testing environment and operational support.

Glydways Autonomous Pods With Up to 250 km Range

Glydways uses autonomous electric pods that operate independently of regular road traffic on narrow, dedicated guideways. Their lightweight infrastructure can be built at ground level or elevated, allowing routes to integrate with existing urban developments.

Each vehicle accommodates four to six passengers, reaches a maximum speed of 50 km/h and offers a claimed range of up to 250 km per charge. Its autonomous driving system uses 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors, radar, HD cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor surroundings and manage vehicle movement.

Designed for 24-hour, on-demand operation, the pods offer direct point-to-point journeys with personalised climate control and entertainment. The system is designed to coordinate multiple vehicles, with the ability to virtually link more than 10 pods and achieve headways of less than one second.

Glydways Network Capacity and Operating Costs

According to RTA, the proposed Glydways network could carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions, combining the flexibility of small autonomous vehicles with the capacity of a mass-transit system. This is a projected network capability, rather than a result demonstrated during the Bluewaters trial.

RTA also estimates that capital costs could be up to 90% lower and operating costs up to 70% lower than those of comparable transport modes. These figures represent projected savings and have not been independently verified through the trial.

The scalable network is designed to expand in line with passenger demand and urban development. The project follows a public-private partnership model, combining public transport planning with private-sector expertise in autonomous mobility, AI and transport infrastructure.

Proposed Glydways Routes Across Dubai

RTA is studying potential routes connecting Dubai Metro stations with residential, commercial and tourist destinations.

Proposals include a 2.8 km connection between National Paints Metro Station and Bluewaters, as well as potential routes serving Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Festival City, Business Bay and Mohammed Bin Rashid City.

The objective is to improve access to public transport and provide convenient first- and last-mile connections. These routes remain under study, and commercial launch dates have not been confirmed.

Glydways Trial: Next Steps

Al Tayer said the trial would assess the system’s technical and operational readiness, safety, reliability and integration with public transport, supporting Dubai’s wider smart and sustainable mobility objectives. He also highlighted RTA’s partnerships with international companies developing autonomous vehicles and AI technologies.

Seeger described the trial as a milestone in Glydways’ collaboration with RTA, with the findings expected to help refine flexible, high-capacity automated transit solutions.

Founded in 2016, Glydways develops scalable automated transit networks using autonomous electric vehicles. The results of the Bluewaters trial will help RTA assess the potential for deploying the system more widely across Dubai.