Ras Al Khaimah opens a test zone for self-driving cars and takes RoboTaxis to Al Dhait

Ras Al Khaimah has set aside a dedicated area for testing self-driving vehicles and is moving its RoboTaxi trials into a residential district, Gulf News reports. The Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) presented its autonomous mobility framework and a new Autonomous Vehicle Sandbox at a ceremony at the InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab Resort on Friday 30 October.

The sandbox is a designated testing area with its own routes and facilities, built to imitate real driving conditions. Companies developing self-driving technology will be able to test their vehicles there, check how they perform in different conditions and judge whether they are ready to carry paying passengers. RAKTA says the aim is also to prove that new systems are safe before they move to wider trials under the emirate's regulations, and to draw international autonomous vehicle firms to Ras Al Khaimah.

Alongside it, the authority confirmed that its RoboTaxi trials are expanding to Al Dhait South. The self-driving taxis started testing on Al Marjan Island in early 2026 and have since covered more than 21,000 kilometres, giving RAKTA data on how they behave on real roads. The emirate has also tested a self-driving RoboBus on Al Marjan Island.

Ras Al Khaimah is one of several emirates moving at the same time. Dubai is testing driverless taxis on parts of Emirates Road and around Al Maktoum airport, and Abu Dhabi already runs robotaxis on Yas and Saadiyat islands. RAKTA describes its approach as phased: one area at a time, with lessons from each trial feeding the next.

For residents of Al Dhait South, the practical change is that you may now see test vehicles on your streets. RAKTA has not said when the RoboTaxis will take paying passengers, what a ride will cost, or which app will be used to book one; those details are expected once the trial stage ends.