Robotaxi service is developing rapidly in Riyadh

The trial of an AI-powered robotaxi service in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has attracted a lot of interest. More than 1,000 passengers have used the autonomous vehicles since they were launched in July at the Roshn Front shopping mall and Prince Noura University. The initial phase is being carried out in partnership with the Saudi General Authority for Transport (TGA), Uber and autonomous technology provider WeRide. According to the TGA, there are plans to expand the program. The authority aims to introduce additional routes across Riyadh and increase the autonomous vehicle fleet to more than 20 vehicles by the end of the year. The expansion plans are supported by a number of government agencies, including the ministries of interior, communications and information technology, and the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA). Members of the public can currently book a ride in a driverless car through the Uber app. The TGA says it oversees all technical aspects and has placed safety officers in each vehicle to ensure compliance with standards, as well as monitoring the autonomous systems. This initiative is in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, promoting the implementation of smart mobility solutions. At the same time, an autonomous food delivery project was launched in Roshn Front in July. This partnership between housing development company Roshn Group and delivery app Jahez aims to reduce delivery times and carbon emissions and is licensed by the TGA.