Driverless taxis hit streets of Abu Dhabi's Al Reem, Al Maryah islands
SAMIHAH ZAMAN (ABU DHABI)A new fleet of self-driving taxis are now offering free and low-cost rides in Abu Dhabi's Al Reem and Al Maryah islands, the emirate's transport regulator announced on Tuesday.The autonomous vehicles are part of a trial initiative by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT Abu Dhabi), G42 company Bayanat and TXAI that aims to increase the use of smart, driverless taxis in Abu Dhabi."Self-driving taxis have hit Abu Dhabi streets. Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands are now part of a trial under the Smart Mobility initiative by DMT, Bayanat & TXAI," DMT Abu Dhabi posted on its social media platforms.
The taxis – reported to be electric and fully autonomous – are operational from the morning until late evening. According to the DMT Abu Dhabi, this makes TXAI rides "ideal for peak hours when regular taxis are scarce".
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Riders can hail the taxis for stops across the two islands, including malls, offices, residential towers and public venues.As of now, the vehicles, which are guided by AI sensors along the roads, include a safety operator who sits behind the wheel."More than just cool tech – this supports Abu Dhabi's vision to cut congestion and emissions, aligned with UAE Vision 2031… The future is here: clean, app-powered, autonomous rides," DMT Abu Dhabi posted, adding that the taxis could soon be rolled out to serve commuters across Yas and Saadiyat islands, and even mainland Abu Dhabi.DMT Abu Dhabi and Bayanat earlier conducted a pilot phase to provide autonomous rides on Yas Island, with a fleet of five TXAI vehicles shuttling commuters between hotels, restaurants, malls, offices and public facilities on the island. The vehicles were available through the Txai ride hailing app.
"The TXAI project has so far provided valuable insights for policymakers and insurance companies on AV-related regulations and policies. The service has been classified as Level 4 Autonomous Driving, whereby the vehicle can perform all driving tasks under almost all conditions without any human intervention," Bayanat had said regarding the project.
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Driverless taxis hit streets of Abu Dhabi's Al Reem, Al Maryah islands
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