Dubai has launched a driverless ten-seater minibus service, developed jointly by French group Easy Mile and local firm Omnix, on a trial basis for a month, said a report.

The minibus is powered by an electric motor and can hit speeds of 40 km per hour, according to AFP report.

The electric vehicle, which has been rolled out with a view to expanding it across the futuristic Gulf city state, made its first trip on Thursday along a 700-m stretch of road in downtown Dubai, near to the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, stated the report.

A key highlight is that the vehicle can be programmed to navigate between Dubai's main tourist attractions, including the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera and the Souk Al Bahar shopping centre, it added.