Driverless taxis to hit the road in Abu Dhabi

The trail will take place on Yas Island.

The future of travel has arrived in Abu Dhabi as the first fully autonomous taxi has been unveiled at an event in the capital.

The project named TXAI, was revealed at the Abu Dhabi Smart City Summit this week and consists of a fleet of taxis that will hit the roads of  Yas Island for a trial later this month.

 

 

Phase one will see five vehicles transport passengers between nine stops on Yas Island including hotels, restaurants and malls.

Phase two will see the rollout of more vehicles in more locations around Abu Dhabi.

Despite being fully autonomous, a safety driver will sit behind the wheel during the trial period.

Operating the vehicles will by G42 subsidiary, Bayanat, a geospatial, data analytics and AI company in the UAE.

Speaking on announcement, CEO of Miral Asset Management, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said on LinkedIn that this was an exciting step for Abu Dhabi.

He said: “With five smart vehicles in the initial phase, this will enable digital transformation through advanced technologies to enhance traffic flow on the island.

“This is aligned with our vision of improving transport options on the island and reinforcing Yas Island’s position as a global destination for entertainment, leisure and business.”

 

For all the latest goings on in Abu Dhabi, visit Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life

 

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Matt Cassidy

When he is not hunting for the latest piece of Abu Dhabi news, Matt is ticking off his UAE bucket-list experiences (although he does love to take a break to test out the fine restaurants and bars of the capital). An armchair sports lover, he is on a personal mission to attend every sporting event in the UAE to make out for most likely missing the big one in Doha in November.