Qatar has officially taken its first step into driverless mobility. In June 2025, the Ministry of Transport (MOT), working with Mowasalat (Karwa), launched the country’s first trial of self-driving electric Robotaxis. The project is being carried out in two phases:

• Phase 1: unmanned test runs to validate the technology.
• Phase 2: full passenger operations with no driver on board, running through the first quarter of 2026.

What is a Robotaxi?
A Robotaxi is an autonomous electric vehicle that functions as a taxi without a driver. Qatar’s fleet is equipped with six cameras, four radars, and four LiDAR sensors, allowing it to safely navigate urban routes and service hubs. The trial builds on earlier autonomous bus pilots and forms part of Qatar’s Future Mobility strategy, which emphasizes sustainable, high-tech transport solutions.

Internationally, the most well-known example is Waymo, the Google-backed service that operates Robotaxi fleets in U.S. cities such as Phoenix and San Francisco. Qatar’s program uses similar technology, but unlike the city-by-city rollout abroad, this is a government-backed national trial, making it one of the most ambitious deployments in the region.

When Will They Arrive?
Right now, Robotaxis are still in the test phase, limited to controlled routes around tourist and service destinations. Phase 2 will expand to real passenger trips through early 2026. The MOT has signaled that if trials remain on track, Robotaxis could be on Qatar’s roads by late 2026, making the country a regional pioneer in driverless transport.