Saudi Arabia is rapidly moving forward in its bid to become a regional leader in autonomous transport, launching pilot trials for self-driving vehicles in the capital city of Riyadh. These live trials mark a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 strategy, which includes a goal of making 15% of public transport autonomous within the next five years.

The pilot programme, announced by the Saudi Press Agency, will test autonomous vehicles in real-world environments, including King Khalid International Airport, city highways, and central Riyadh. The operation will be supervised by the country’s Transport General Authority (TGA), ensuring compliance with safety and technical standards. Each vehicle will operate with an onboard safety officer to monitor system performance during testing.

Global Partnerships Driving Local Innovation

This initiative reflects a growing collaboration between Saudi regulatory bodies and international tech companies. Leading partners in the trial include Uber, WeRide, and AiDriver — with WeRide, a prominent Chinese self-driving technology firm, officially launching operations in the Kingdom.

The pilot is part of a multi-stakeholder effort, involving partnerships across government and the private sector, led by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics, under Minister Saleh Al-Jasser. The long-term aim is not just technological adoption but the localisation of autonomous vehicle manufacturing and operational capacity.

To support this, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) launched the National Automotive and Mobility Investment Company (NAMIC) in 2023. NAMIC is tasked with building domestic supply chains and encouraging local production by forming strategic partnerships with global technology providers and automotive leaders.

Smart Infrastructure Laying the Groundwork

The trials come on the heels of Saudi Arabia’s smart road infrastructure rollout. In August 2024, the Kingdom began installing smart communication devices along key highways. These devices are designed to interact directly with autonomous vehicles, facilitating safer navigation, real-time traffic adjustments, and more efficient fleet management.

This level of infrastructure investment places Saudi Arabia among the few emerging markets in the Global South actively preparing the physical and regulatory environment required for large-scale AV deployment.

Regional Momentum in Autonomous Mobility

Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle trials are part of a broader wave of regional adoption. In neighbouring United Arab Emirates, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced its own AV trials are set to begin later this year, with plans to launch commercial robotaxi services by 2026. The Dubai initiative includes partnerships with Pony.ai, a company already backed by Saudi Arabia’s NEOM smart city project.

Meanwhile, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi has also initiated autonomous vehicle tests as part of its sustainable urban planning model, reinforcing the UAE’s parallel ambitions in mobility innovation.

Market Context and Future Implications

Globally, the autonomous vehicle market was valued at over $121 billion in 2024, and is projected to surpass $230 billion by 2030, according to market research by Statista and McKinsey. Saudi Arabia’s goal to make 15% of its public transport autonomous by 2030 is ambitious but potentially achievable, especially with substantial state investment and international expertise.

Importantly, this move could also diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy away from oil, providing new revenue streams in logistics, AI technology, manufacturing, and services. The trials currently underway will serve not only as a litmus test for the technology’s viability in the Gulf climate and road conditions, but also as an early signal to investors, manufacturers, and regional competitors.

By Chloe Maluleke 

Associate at The BRICS+ Consulting Group 

Russian & Middle Eastern Specialist

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