Driverless vehicles introduced for airport operations

The United Arab Emirates is accelerating its transformation into a global leader in autonomous mobility, as government entities and private companies unveil major initiatives across aviation, urban transport, and road travel. From baggage-handling robots at one of Dubai’s airports to Level 4 autonomous shuttles and taxis, the country is laying the groundwork for a smart, safe, and efficient future in transportation.

In a landmark development for airside operations, global air and travel services provider dnata has rolled out a fleet of autonomous electric baggage tractors at Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The initiative marks one of the first operational deployments of autonomous ground vehicles in a commercial airport environment anywhere in the world, a WAM report said.

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The six EZTow autonomous tractors, developed by TractEasy, are fully electric and capable of towing up to four baggage containers at speeds of up to 15 km/h. Operating on predefined routes, these vehicles are currently running with Level 3 autonomy, which allows for minimal human oversight.

dnata pioneers autonomous airport operations at DWC

“While autonomous vehicles have largely been limited to trials, this deployment brings the technology into regular, day-to-day operations,” said Jaffar Dawood, divisional senior vice president for UAE Airport Operations at dnata. “As global travel continues to rebound and operational demands increase, automation could be key to building smarter, safer, and more resilient infrastructure.”

Traditionally, airport baggage handling has relied heavily on human-operated vehicles, often under tight timelines and pressure. By automating this process, dnata aims to streamline operations, reduce turnaround time, and enhance ramp safety by minimizing human error. The shift also allows staff to transition from driving roles to more complex and strategic tasks within the airport ecosystem.

The Dhs6m ($1.6m) project is part of a broader vision to achieve Level 4 autonomy—full self-driving capability—by early 2026. At that stage, the vehicles will operate entirely independently within secure airside environments.

This progress is the result of more than a year of close collaboration between dnata, TractEasy, Dubai Airports, and the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The stakeholders are also working together to establish a regulatory framework for autonomous airside operations, an area where global standards are still emerging.

Rich Reno, CEO of TractEasy, praised the partnership, saying, “TractEasy is proud and excited to partner with an industry leader like dnata and blaze a safe and efficient autonomous trail for others to follow.”

The dnata deployment is also being treated as a real-time testbed for broader applications of autonomous ground handling at DWC. With the airport expected to become the world’s largest in terms of capacity, projected to handle 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo annually, scalable smart infrastructure will be critical to its success.

Autonomous vehicles gain momentum across the UAE

Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, Masdar City has begun testing Level 4 autonomous shuttles in partnership with Solutions+, a smart mobility provider and Mubadala company. The trials, launched on July 11, are overseen by Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), ensuring strict compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Level 4 automation enables a vehicle to operate entirely without human intervention within a designated area, known as a geofenced zone. This represents a significant leap in autonomous technology and brings practical, driverless transport closer to reality.

In a parallel initiative in Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a landmark agreement with Chinese autonomous ride-hailing company Baidu to deploy 50 autonomous taxis across the city by the end of 2025.

Equipped with over 40 sensors and detectors, the RT6 offers full Level 4 autonomy and has already seen commercial success in China. The initial rollout will focus on data gathering and route testing, with a view to scaling up to 1,000 vehicles over the next three years based on performance metrics and passenger feedback.

Pushing boundaries in smart mobility

Together, these concurrent initiatives—from airside operations at DWC to city-wide AV trials in Masdar and Dubai—demonstrate the UAE’s cohesive and strategic approach to embracing next-generation transport technologies.

As smart mobility evolves from experimental phase to daily operations, the UAE is establishing itself as a global leader in the autonomous vehicle revolution—setting standards and offering a model for integrated, sustainable urban and aviation infrastructure.