12 month robotaxi trial begins in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia launches city autonomous taxi trial with WeRide
#SaudiArabia #AVs - Saudi Arabia has begun its first extensive robotaxi trial in Riyadh, marking the biggest step to-date in implementing the Kingdom’s autonomous transport strategy. Transport minister and Transport General Authority (TGA) authority chairman H.E. Saleh Al-Jasser launched the 12-month pilot programme on Wednesday, covering seven strategic locations including King Khalid International Airport and Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University.
The project was developed by Saudi’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Interior, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information. Meanwhile, the TGA, US ride-hailing giant Uber, Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide, and AI mobility firm AiDriver will operate the trial connecting 13 designated pick-up stations across the capital.
SO WHAT? - The new robotaxi trial now positions Saudi Arabia amongst the world's most advanced nations testing autonomous vehicle technology at scale. The UAE has been running public urban autonomous vehicle trials since 2021 and this year ramped up trials to include more locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, together with partnerships with multiple AV companies. Saudi Arabia has, to-date, only run limited autonomous vehicle trials in campus environments. The extensive pilot service was expected to begin sometime this year, following government recent agreements made with Uber and WeRide.
Here are some key points about the Riyadh robotaxi trial:
Saudi Arabia's Transport General Authority (TGA) has launched a 12-month autonomous taxi trial across seven key Riyadh locations including King Khalid International Airport terminals and major universities, connecting 13 designated pick-up and drop-off stations.
The initiative combines government oversight from multiple agencies including Saudi’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Interior, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation.
The key private sector partners are US ride-hailing giant Uber, Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide, and AI mobility firm AiDriver.
The new robotaxi trial is the first major autonomous vehicle deployment in the Middle East's largest economy.
Each autonomous taxi operates with a safety officer onboard during this initial phase, ensuring passenger safety whilst vehicles navigate real-world urban conditions including major highways and city-centre destinations across the capital.
The trial is taking place under the operational oversight from the Transport General Authority, which supervises vehicle performance, regulatory compliance, and safety protocols throughout the trial period covering airport terminals, universities, and connecting highway networks.
The project supports Saudi Arabia's National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Vision 2030 goals by demonstrating sustainable mobility solutions powered by artificial intelligence and smart city technologies.
ZOOM OUT - The new Riyadh robotaxi trial follows the announcement of WeRide’s new Saudi operations in May 2025, predicting the roll-out of commercial robotaxi services expected by late 2025. WeRide had already deployed Level-4 autonomous buses at King Fahad Medical City and Aramco residential communities, beginning the company’s first trials in the Middle East's largest economy. The expansion supports Saudi Arabia's tourism sector growth projections of reaching $110.1 billion by 2033, whilst WeRide operates across 30 cities in 10 countries globally.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Read more about future mobility in Saudi Arabia:
WeRide announces robotaxi service in Saudi Arabia (Middle East AI News)
New ALJ-Uber deal could advance Saudi robotaxi plans (Middle East AI News)
Saudi Arabia launches Future Mobility Sandbox at KAUST (Middle East AI News)
KAUST's trials autonomous delivery (Middle East AI News)