Abu Dhabi promotes flying taxis, robots at Autonomous Week
Abu Dhabi is making its most aggressive pitch yet to become a global capital of self-driving vehicles, kicking off its inaugural Autonomous Week with a parade of pilot projects across land, air and sea mobility.
In the opening panels of Monday’s Autonomous Summit, senior government officials touted the UAE’s regulatory advantages and pushed companies to develop their technology in the Emirates.
“Do not waste your time in any other country,” said Faisal Al Bannai, adviser to the UAE President and Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council. “This is the city to be in.”
The talkfest kicks off a week-long showcase at Yas Marina Circuit, the home of Abu Dhabi’s F1 Grand Prix, which includes a global soccer tournament for humanoid robots, a car racing league and an exhibition space. Guests on Day 1 were welcomed by robots serving up coffee and ice cream, while others mowed lawns.
Companies including California-based firms Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are awaiting licenses to start commercial operation of flying taxis in the UAE, while multiple operators are already experimenting with driverless cars and buses.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, attended the summit, seated alongside Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and CEO of the ADNOC national oil company. “While other cities are still testing pilot programmes, Abu Dhabi and the emirate at large have already integrated autonomy across land, sea and air,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote in an opinion piece for The National.