Dubai Opened a 248-Scenario Test Site for Self-Driving Cars. Tesla Already Tested There.
Dubai's RTA opened Dubai Mobility Labs at Dubai Silicon Oasis on Sept. 27. It mixes test tracks with public-road trials, DEKRA runs it, and WeRide, Pony.ai, and Tesla have already been through it.
Dubai opened a new testing center for self-driving cars on Sunday.
So basically: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), working with the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, opened Dubai Mobility Labs at Dubai Silicon Oasis on Sept. 27. It’s where autonomous vehicles get checked before they’re allowed onto Dubai’s roads for real. WeRide, Pony.ai, and Tesla have already run trials there.
What’s there
The site has dedicated test tracks and a big multi-purpose area built to copy real traffic. It covers 248 test scenarios in total. 195 of those are in the multi-purpose area, which breaks down into 143 core scenarios plus 52 added later through design changes.
Testing isn’t only on the closed site. Vehicles can also run on public roads along a route from Dubai Silicon Oasis to Al Qudra.
The tests look at how a car senses what’s around it, how it makes decisions, how it deals with other road users, and how it handles changing traffic and weather. Khaleej Times says the site also has office space, three light-industrial units, and three 60kW EV chargers.
Who runs it
The RTA picked DEKRA, the German testing and inspection company, to operate the labs for the first three years. DEKRA handles daily operations, books testing slots, and makes sure trials follow international safety standards.
Who’s already tested
According to Khaleej Times and The National, WeRide, Pony.ai, and Tesla have already done trials there. Neither outlet said which Tesla vehicles or software were tested, and no results were shared.
Why Dubai is doing this
Dubai wants 25% of all trips in the emirate to be autonomous by 2030. RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer called the labs “one of the key pillars” of that plan. He said the labs give companies a path from “developing, testing, validating and certifying technologies” to commercial service.
The city already has robotaxis carrying riders. The National notes Baidu’s Apollo Go started commercial operations in Dubai in February.
What this isn’t
Nobody got a new permit on Sunday. The RTA didn’t announce a launch date for Tesla or anyone else. This is the testing step before that.
My take
Dubai built a real checkpoint with an outside tester running it, and Tesla is already on the list. The next thing to watch is who passes and gets a permit to carry riders.
So basically — pass it on.