Driverless taxis will take to the roads of Abu Dhabi this year

Transport chiefs in Abu Dhabi are to introduce driverless taxis in the emirate this year.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport partnered with Bayanat, part of the G42 group, to lead the trial use of autonomous vehicles.

In the first phase of the hightech project, three self-driving vehicles will provide free transport between hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and offices at Yas Mall.

More than 10 vehicles will hit the roads across the capital in the second stage of the futuristic initiative.

The trial will begin in the final quarter of this year.

The service, free of charge in both phases, will be provided between 8am and 8pm.

Although the vehicles are driverless, a safety officer will be in the driving seat during the pilot scheme to intervene if needed.

Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre will provide the infrastructure required. Bayanat will carry out comprehensive safety testing and ensure the vehicles operate in line with traffic regulations.

“Our partnership with DMT and ITC opens up new and exciting opportunities to transform the transport sector, improve road safety, energy consumption, traffic congestion and revolutionise the way people live, work and travel,” said Hasan Al Hosani, chief executive of Bayanat.

Mr Al Hosani said self-driving vehicles relied heavily rely on mapping, data and artificial intelligence and Bayanat had the expertise and technology to contribute to make them a success in the UAE.

Autonomous transport has been high on the agenda in the Emirates for years.

In July, the UAE ranked eighth in KPMG’s annual Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index, performing well on infrastructure and the willingness of its people and government to embrace driverless cars.

In 2016, the UAE planned to make 25 per cent of transport autonomous by 2030.

Three years later, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, issued a directive to regulate testing of self-driving vehicles in the emirate.

A fleet of driverless shuttles was tested in Sharjah last year. Operated by UAE smart transport company Ion, they were trialled in the University City of Sharjah education district.

The vehicles transported students between colleges and were equipped with technology including automatic route navigation and motion-detecting doors.

The smart shuttles are emissions-free, accessible by wheelchair and can carry up to 15 passengers.