Gulf countries roll out more autonomous taxis
The dream of driverless taxis continues in the Gulf, where the conflict with Iran has slowed but not stopped progress in autonomous transportation in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh.
Uber and WeRide added another driverless route in the Saudi capital this week, connecting the Hayat Mall and Riyadh Gallery shopping centers. The expanded service comes after the vehicles completed more than 1,700 journeys during a trial phase, according to the regulator.
Uber and WeRide have also launched fully driverless services in Dubai, starting with the popular residential and commercial areas of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, without on-board safety monitors. Separately, Dubai Taxi Company plans to deploy more than 1,000 driverless cars in the city with Baidu’s Apollo Go, starting with a fleet of 50 this year. Earlier this month, Autogo, part of Abu Dhabi-backed technology company K2, began offering rides on Yas Island and plans to expand to Saadiyat and Al Maryah Islands.
All of this is bad news for the region’s taxi drivers, a predominantly South Asian group whose business is already declining due to the conflict with Iran.
