Dubai to shut E611 lanes and airport tunnel for autonomous taxi trials
By Business & Property Desk1 min read
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on 25 October 2026 that it would close parts of a major highway and a tunnel to allow autonomous taxi companies to conduct tests.
Closure details on E611 and Al Maktoum tunnel
Three lanes of Emirates Road (E611), opposite Al Maktoum International Airport, will be closed during the testing. The entire Al Maktoum International Airport Tunnel will also be shut in both directions. The closures run from 26 October to 31 October, daily between 09:00 and 16:00 GST.
Motorists advised to plan journeys
The RTA urged drivers to plan their trips in advance and follow directional signs to ensure smooth travel during the period.
UAE autonomous transport expansion
Earlier in October, a senior UAE official said the country would have more than 10,000 autonomous taxis and delivery vans operating next year, with orders already placed for the vehicles as the nation prepares for a sharp scale-up of driverless transport.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have already launched commercial autonomous taxi services. Abu Dhabi expanded Level 4 autonomous taxi operations on Yas Island earlier in 2026, while Dubai began commercial autonomous taxi services in areas including Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah.
According to Abu Dhabi Mobility, the emirates capital became the first city in the Middle East and North Africa to start commercial operations of fully driverless Level 4 vehicles.
