"Integrated transportation" Announces the start of commercial operation of fully autonomous vehicles
ABU DHABI, 13 November / WAM / The Integrated Transport Center, affiliated with the Department of Municipalities and Transport, announced the start of commercial operation of fully autonomous vehicles of the fourth level of autonomous driving, as part of its participation in the “Drift
This operation represents the result of cooperation between the Integrated Transport Center, the Legislation Laboratory in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and the Supervisory Committee for Testing Advanced Driving Systems in the Ministry of Interior, under the supervision of the Intelligent Autonomous Systems Council, with the aim of supporting the safe and orderly commercial operation of advanced autonomous driving technologies in the emirate, in line with the legislative and regulatory frameworks approved in the UAE.
The Integrated Transport Center granted the first two operational permits to enable the commercial operation of fully autonomous vehicles. WeRide will carry out the trial operations in its first phase in cooperation with Uber and Tawasul, while Autogo-K2 will carry out its operations in cooperation with Apologo-Baidu, after fulfilling all safety and operational readiness requirements, and passing a series of rigorous testing stages that included evaluating performance, sensor systems, and vehicle response in realistic traffic environments in Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Abdullah Hamad Al Ghafli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Center, said that the permit is a strategic achievement that strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global destination in the field of smart and sustainable mobility, explaining that it reflects the proactive vision of the Abu Dhabi government in enabling future technologies and applying them practically within a safe and efficient transportation system, noting that he worked, in cooperation with strategic partners, to develop integrated regulatory and operational frameworks that guarantee the highest standards of safety and quality in the commercial operation of autonomous vehicles. Leadership, in line with the emirate’s goals of being a global model for smart and sustainable cities.
As of October 2025, WeRide’s self-taxis have traveled more than 800,000 kilometers in Abu Dhabi, with each vehicle carrying out up to 20 trips within 12 hours of operation, within a network managed by WeRide and Uber, which is considered the largest commercially in the Middle East, covering about 50% of the city’s urban area.
Since the second quarter of 2025, WeRide has been conducting Level 4 operating tests in the first experience of its kind in the region, which reflects its readiness to move to full commercial operation of autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi.
On Yas Island, Autogo-K2 achieved a qualitative achievement by obtaining certification for the full operation of Level 4 autonomous vehicles within a record period, as it moved from the trial operation stage in mid-July 2025 to a service approved by the center by the end of September 2025, after its fleet carried out more than 100,000 kilometers of operational tests, graduating from the presence of a safety operator to complete autonomous operation without any operator inside the vehicle.
The center will monitor the movement and operation of these vehicles in real time in coordination with the operators through an advanced electronic platform that allows direct tracking of vehicles, and the immediate recording and analysis of any accidents or violations, ensuring full compliance with the conditions of permits and operational safety requirements.
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