UAE cabinet approves first licence for self-driving cars
The UAE has approved the first national licence of its kind for self-driving vehicles to run on the country’s roads. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, posted on Twitter that WeRide has been granted the preliminary licence.
This came as Sheikh Mohammed chaired a UAE Cabinet meeting on Monday. “The company will begin testing all types of autonomous vehicles in the country, reflecting a change in the country’s future mobility patterns,” he tweeted.
The Cabinet also approved the national policy for electric vehicles, which includes building a national network for electric vehicle chargers, regulating the electric vehicle market, and stimulating related industries to ensure reduced emissions, energy consumption, and the preservation of the quality of roads that the UAE enjoys.
“The world is changing rapidly… leadership patterns are changing, and life in the country will change rapidly in the coming years.. and the human being, his comfort and quality of life will remain the permanent constant in our governmental agenda,” said HH Sheikh Mohammed.
It is reported that Dubai aims to have 25% of its transportation achieved fully autonomous operation by 2030. His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid emphasised that the issuance of the self-driving license reflects a change in the country’s future mobility patterns.
Prior to receiving this national self-driving licence, WeRide’s Robotaxi had completed public testing and operations on certain roads in the UAE over a year.
On June 29th, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) in Abu Dhabi announced that as part of the Eid Al-Adha holiday services, visitors to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi can experience free autonomous driving car services, including a model called “TXAI,” which is launched in collaboration between WeRide and the local listed company Bayanat.
WeRide has been actively expanding its autonomous driving products and services internationally, with the Middle East being one of its key focus areas. In March this year, WeRide officially established its presence in the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone, forming a local team to further accelerate the commercialisation of autonomous driving technology in the UAE region.
In addition to the rapid progress in the UAE, WeRide has also achieved remarkable results in Saudi Arabia. In September 2022, WeRide showcased at the 2022 Global Artificial Intelligence Summit held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and announced its collaboration with the Saudi Artificial Intelligence Company (SCAI) to launch the first dynamic robobus route in Saudi Arabia, the company said
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