Abu Dhabi Launches Pilot Operation Of Autonomous Trucks, First Of Its Kind In MENA

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Pilot trips were conducted along dedicated routes within Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi

• PUBLISHED: Fri 27 Feb 2026, 2:25 PM

• By:
• Bahni Bandyopadhyay

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Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) has conducted a supervised launch of a pilot project for the operation of autonomous trucks in the emirate, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The launch was conducted in partnership with global company Autotech, which specialises in developing autonomous vehicle systems, as well as AD Ports Group. The project is being implemented within Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD).

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The project involves the operation of autonomous trucks for logistics and freight transport purposes, reflecting the expansion of autonomous systems applications across various modes of transport.

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The ITC explained that the project focuses on evaluating the operation of autonomous trucks within a defined industrial and logistics environment. Pilot trips were conducted along dedicated routes within KEZAD, in accordance with approved regulatory frameworks and operational standards.

During 2025, the developer, under the ITC's supervision, worked on adapting artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving systems to local road requirements and logistics transport needs, ensuring safe and seamless operations in line with the highest safety and operational efficiency standards, and assessing the technology's readiness for deployment in a real-world environment.

This project forms part of the Integrated Transport Centre's efforts to support the smart and autonomous mobility ecosystem in the emirate and enhance the readiness of regulatory frameworks to adopt innovative solutions that serve the supply chain and logistics sector. It contributes to improving freight transport efficiency and enhancing operational performance across economic and industrial zones, in preparation for the transition to the commercial deployment of autonomous logistics services.

In this context, Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre, said, "This project represents an important regulatory milestone in advancing the smart mobility ecosystem in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. It reflects the Centre's direction towards expanding the application of autonomous systems to include freight and logistics transport, alongside passenger transport. Through these pilot initiatives, the Centre is committed to evaluating technical solutions within safe and structured operational frameworks, supporting the development of future policies and regulations based on real-world data and practical experience."

He added, "These initiatives contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the transport ecosystem, supporting the competitiveness of economic sectors, and reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a leading regional hub in adopting smart mobility solutions and autonomous systems, in line with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031."

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