Driverless automated taxi services are now available in specific locations within Abu Dhabi, including Zayed International Airport. Abu Dhabi Mobility plans to expand its autonomous transportation services to many areas of the city, having successfully completed 30,000 trips covering more than 430,000 kilometers.
The service is now available for Uber and TXAI users, as they can now request an autonomous vehicle to transport them to and from Zayed International Airport through the application.
Authorities have implemented the first and second phases of autonomous driving operations on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. Following the success of these operations, the transportation sector will expand autonomous driving services to and from the airport.
This expansion is a fraction of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to improve the smart mobility sector, by advertising the use of advanced technologies in sustainable transportation.
In a partnership with Uber and Space42, Abu Dhabi Mobility will deploy autonomous taxi services in the city, as the company plans to gradually expand across it.
Through its plan to develop the autonomous driving sector, the company plans to achieve several key goals by 2040, including”:
increasing the number of autonomous trips to 25% of the total number of trips in Abu Dhabi
reducing carbon emissions by 15%
reducing traffic accidents by 18%
Dr. Abdullah Al Ghafli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), stated that this expansion is a strategic step towards developing the smart driving ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. He emphasized that the ITC continues to enhance the digital and regulatory infrastructure to integrate autonomous driving into the existing transportation network, while adhering to the highest standards of safety and efficiency. He added that they are committed to adopting the latest technologies to ensure the safe and reliable operation of these vehicles, in line with Abu Dhabi's vision for an advanced and sustainable transportation sector.
Abu Dhabi Transport Company conducts tests on autonomous vehicles in cooperation with its partners and oversees operations to ensure full compliance with traffic laws and regulations.
The company also seeks to raise public awareness of these services and encourage their adoption. Since their launch, no accidents have been recorded, reflecting the high level of safety these vehicles provide in urban transportation.
Furthermore, Abu Dhabi Transport affirms its commitment to developing future transportation solutions, strengthening the emirate's position as a global center for smart mobility innovation, and pioneering the adoption of autonomous transportation solutions in line with international best practices.
As this technology advances, many developed countries are adopting it in their own countries. Consequently, many automakers are working to upgrade the level of autonomous driving systems in some of their vehicle models. For example, Nissan, as part of its recovery plan and to regain its position as a giant Japanese automaker, is developing self-driving taxis in the United States. If its models are successful, we will likely see them in the UAE. Although the idea may seem frightening to some, especially after the numerous accidents caused by this technology in recent years, the companies that have adopted it in their vehicles are working to ensure safe and reliable autonomous driving. Self-driving trips have thus become safer with the rapid development of artificial intelligence. However, the downside is that they will replace many workers employed in the public transportation sector, potentially reducing the number of jobs available in this field. Although the UAE is rapidly adopting technology, it is also investing in developing workers' skills through training and retraining programs.
