Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has granted its first self-driving test permits. The test permit winners are Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide and Pony.ai, who can now conduct autonomous driving trials across urban Dubai.

In a statement, the RTA said that all required tests and operations will be conducted to ensure the vehicles adapt seamlessly to the city’s local environment.

Through their collaboration with RTA, the three companies aim to co-build a global benchmark for smart mobility and contribute to solidifying Dubai’s position as a world-leading autonomous city.

The issue of self-driving test permits follows on agreements signed earlier this year between RTA and the three companies. It accords with Dubai’s roadmap for the introduction of autonomous taxi services in Dubai, and follows the emirate’s wider development strategy.

RTA’s partnerships with international companies in autonomous mobility are a building block of Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy. This aims to convert 25% of all mobility journeys in the emirate into autonomous trips across various modes of transport by 2030.