The Transport General Authority of Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Transport and its Royal Commission for Riyadh City, has chosen EasyMile as a key partner for a significant initiative aimed at establishing comprehensive regulations for autonomous driving in Saudi Arabia.
The collaboration combines the deployment of two autonomous shuttles at the King Saud University campus in Riyadh, with knowledge sharing, data exploration, and the review of safety functions and procedures.
TGA aims to gain valuable knowledge and insights that will serve as a foundation for shaping and defining comprehensive autonomous driving legislation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The authority is responsible for all railway, marine, and land transportation matters within the Kingdom. It aims to establish a robust legal framework in Saudi Arabia that promotes the safe and efficient integration of autonomous vehicles on its roads, paving the way for a future where driverless technology can thrive and contribute to the Kingdom’s transport infrastructure.
The shuttles at KSU started recently. They cover an almost 2 km route connecting various university buildings with the cafeteria and parking areas. The service is running 5 days a week from 9am – 4pm, operated by High Point Tech.
Easymile says that, as a private site, King Saud University offers an ideal launch pad for the development of autonomous driving capabilities and the subsequent transition to public roads. The controlled environment provided by KSU allows extensive testing, fine-tuning, and validation of autonomous systems. This close collaboration between technology development and regulatory framework ensures that the legal requirements align with the capabilities and standards of autonomous driving systems, facilitating a smooth transition from private sites to public roads.
EasyMile is the lead driverless technology partner in the Middle East with a heavyweight portfolio including the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA), a strong relationship with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and numerous projects with RATP Dev, including fully automated electric passenger pods at the country’s historic AlUla site. The technology provider has also collaborated with Ericsson in the region, the Saudi Telecommunication Company and Khalifa University.
It is the first autonomous vehicle provider to work with TGA and underwent a robust tender process to win the contract.
Easymile says helping define autonomous driving legislation is a key element of its business around the world. In Europe, EasyMile is trusted to play a crucial role in shaping legislation and regulatory frameworks for autonomous vehicles, collaborating with the EU Commission and engaging with national initiatives and expert groups in countries like France and Germany. Additionally, the company actively participates in large funding projects to drive innovation, benefiting a wide range of stakeholders.
(Picture – Easymile)
