Launching the first operating trial of self-driving trucks in Abu Dhabi

The Integrated Transport Center, affiliated with the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi, announced that it is supervising the launch of a pilot project to operate self-driving trucks in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in partnership with the international company “Autotec”, which specializes in developing self-driving vehicle systems, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Ports Company, within the Khalifa Economic Zones – Abu Dhabi (KIZAD)..

The project is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region in the field of operating self-driving trucks for the purposes of logistical transportation and goods transportation, which reflects the expansion of the scope of applications for self-driving systems to include various modes of transportation..

The center explained that the project focuses on evaluating the operation of self-driving trucks within a specific industrial and logistical environment, as test flights were carried out on designated routes within the Kizad regions, in accordance with approved regulatory frameworks and operational standards.
During the year 2025, the developing company, under the supervision of the centre, worked to adapt self-driving systems based on artificial intelligence with the requirements of local roads and logistical transportation needs, ensuring that trips are carried out in a safe and smooth manner, in accordance with the highest requirements for safety and operational efficiency, and assessing the technology’s readiness for operation within a realistic environment..

This project comes within the efforts of the Integrated Transport Center to support the smart and autonomous transportation system in the emirate, and to enhance the readiness of regulatory frameworks to adopt innovative solutions that serve the supply chain and logistics services sector, which contributes to raising the efficiency of transporting goods and improving operational performance in economic and industrial zones, and in preparation for the transition to the stage of commercial operation of self-driving logistics services..

Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Center, Dr. Abdullah Hamad Al Ghafli, said: “This project represents an important regulatory step in the process of developing the smart mobility system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and reflects the center’s direction towards expanding the scope of applications for self-driving systems to include the goods transport and logistics services sector, in addition to passenger transport. Through these experiments, the center is keen to evaluate technical solutions within safe and organized operational frameworks, in a way that supports the construction of future policies and legislation based on actual data and experiences.“

He added: “These initiatives contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the transportation system, supporting the competitiveness of economic sectors, and consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading regional center in adopting smart transportation solutions and autonomous systems, in line with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031.” “