Dubai to close some E611 lanes, Al Maktoum airport tunnel amid autonomous taxi testing

Dubai authorities have ordered partial closures on Emirates Road and a full shutdown of the adjacent airport tunnel starting Monday to facilitate highway testing for autonomous taxi fleets. The Roads and Transport Authority confirmed that three lanes on the E611 corridor, located opposite Al Maktoum International Airport, will be inaccessible to general traffic. Simultaneously, the Al Maktoum International Airport Tunnel will remain completely closed in both directions. These restrictions will be in force daily from 9 am to 4 pm, beginning on Monday, October 26, and continuing through Saturday, October 31. The agency advised drivers to plan routes ahead of time and adhere to directional signage to maintain flow during the disruption. The initiative represents a practical application of the emirate’s broader strategy to integrate self-driving technology into its infrastructure. In September, local officials opened the Dubai Mobility Labs within the Dubai Silicon Oasis district. This facility, created by the RTA in partnership with the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, serves as a controlled environment for simulating complex traffic conditions. It features extensive testing tracks designed to evaluate vehicle sensing and decision-making capabilities across 248 specific scenarios before approval for public roads. The center aims to support a goal of making 25 percent of all journeys in the emirate autonomous by 2030. Previous trials at the site included technologies developed by global firms such as WeRide, Pony.ai, and Tesla. Commercial operations for driverless vehicles have already commenced in the region. Uber Technologies began hosting Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless service on its platform last month. This service utilizes Baidu’s sixth-generation RT6 robotaxi model. Initial availability is limited to the Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim districts, with expansion planned for later dates. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai who holds the titles of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, officially launched this self-driving taxi network in February. He inaugurated the commercial phase of the Baidu Apollo Go service and rode in one of the vehicles to attend the World Governments Summit. Further scaling efforts were outlined in September of last year, when Dubai designated a 15 square kilometer testing zone in Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour. This area was intended to evaluate autonomous transport for taxis, deliveries, and other service vehicles on a larger scale. A senior United Arab Emirates official stated earlier this month that the country expects to operate more than 10,000 autonomous taxis and delivery vans by next year. Orders for these vehicles have already been placed as the nation prepares to significantly increase its driverless fleet. Regional developments parallel these moves in Dubai. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have initiated commercial autonomous taxi services. Abu Dhabi expanded its Level 4 autonomous taxi operations on Yas Island earlier this year. According to Abu Dhabi Mobility, the capital became the first city in the Middle East and North Africa to begin commercial operations of fully driverless Level 4 vehicles. The current closures on Emirates Road serve as a direct precursor to wider deployment, allowing engineers to verify system performance under real-world highway conditions before expanding the operational footprint. Motorists traveling through the affected zones during the specified morning and afternoon windows should anticipate delays and utilize alternative routes indicated by roadside markers.