General Motors' (GM's) autonomous car subsidiary, Cruise, has announced plans to introduce its autonomous robotaxi service in Dubai next month on an experimental basis. This would make Dubai the first Middle Eastern city to have launched a trial of autonomous vehicles.

The company will initially launch a fleet of five vehicles on a five-mile stretch in the upend Jumeirah neighborhood, as per the permits. 

The authorities expect to have around 4,000 robotaxis in the city by 2030, adding to its existing fleet of 12,000 conventional taxis in the city. The initiative aligns with the government's vision to have 25% of city trips using autonomous transportation by 2030.

Analyst QuickTake: Cruise and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority signed an exclusive contract in April 2021, designating Cruise as the sole provider of self-driving taxis and ride-hailing services. The company also started mapping city streets in July 2022, with plans to launch the service in 2023. This initiative would mark a significant milestone upon its commencement, as Dubai would become the first non-US city to witness Cruise's autonomous operations in action.