Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), under the patronage of Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has officially opened registration for the fifth edition of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2027, held under the theme “Smart Integrated Infrastructure” .

 The challenge invites innovators, technology providers, researchers, and academic institutions from around the world to submit advanced solutions that support the future of autonomous mobility and smart transportation systems. According to the RTA, finalists will be announced in November 2026, while winners will be revealed during the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport in September 2027.

Prize Pool Reaches $1.2 Million

The competition offers a total prize fund of $1.2 million, distributed across several categories, including technology solution providers and distinguished local academic institutions. Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency at RTA and Head of the Challenge Team, said the initiative plays a key role in strengthening Dubai’s position as a global hub for autonomous mobility innovation. He added that the challenge supports Dubai’s vision of converting 25% of all mobility trips into autonomous journeys by 2030 while advancing a smart, connected, and sustainable transportation ecosystem.

 Focus on Smart Integrated Infrastructure

The 2027 edition focuses on Smart Integrated Infrastructure, encouraging participants to develop transformative solutions that enhance road safety, improve transport efficiency, and enable seamless mobility through advanced Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) connectivity.Proposed innovation areas include predictive traffic analytics, green-light speed advisory systems, in-vehicle signaling, autonomous valet parking, digital mobility wallets, and other future-focused mobility technologies. Participation is open to both individual applicants and collaborative consortiums, allowing organizations to combine multiple V2X use cases into unified smart mobility solutions.