RIYADH: From self-driving cars to autonomous delivery robots, Saudi Arabia is accelerating toward the next generation of AI-driven transport.

The year 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark period for autonomous mobility in the Kingdom, as the country builds partnerships and infrastructure for a cutting-edge logistics ecosystem.

This drive toward self-driving technology is central to the broader transformation under Vision 2030 — reshaping how goods and people move across Riyadh and beyond.

The shift aligns with the Transport General Authority’s land transport strategy, which aims for 25 percent of goods vehicles to be autonomous by 2030.

In July 2025, Transport and Logistic Services Minister Saleh Al-Jasser launched a pilot of WeRide’s Robotaxi in Riyadh — a milestone for developing a smart, safe transportation network.

“The expansion into Saudi Arabia is a major step in WeRide’s global expansion plan with a vision for safer, smarter transportation at scale,” Ryan Zhan, regional general manager for the Middle East and Africa at WeRide, told Arab News.

“The entry enables WeRide to scale Robotaxi services and unlock new commercial opportunities in Saudi Arabia,” he said. Robotaxi received the Kingdom’s first autonomous driving permit.

With 104 million public transport users and 349 million intercity bus passengers annually, demand for mobility solutions is high. Ride-hailing trips rose 26 percent and delivery app orders 27 percent from 2023 to 2024, topping 290 million.

WeRide’s Robotaxis and Robobuses are the latest additions to this evolving sector. The pilot, run with Uber and local partner AiDriver, operates between King Khalid International Airport and central Riyadh.

“The Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles initiative aligns with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy and supports Saudi Vision 2030 in embracing sustainable mobility solutions powered by artificial intelligence,” said Zhan.

“Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s largest economy and has been accelerating efforts under Vision 2030 to diversify into high-growth sectors.

“With its tourism sector alone projected to reach $110.1 billion by 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.4 percent from 2024, WeRide’s Robotaxis and Robobuses support the Kingdom’s push to develop a smart, sustainable transport infrastructure for both residents and the rising influx of visitors.”

Globally, the AI market is expected to grow from $189 billion in 2023 to $4.8 trillion by 2033, according to UN Trade and Development.

WeRide was the first AV company to complete the Transport General Authority’s Regulatory Sandbox for autonomous piloting.

“WeRide is not just deploying technology. We’re participating in the local transportation ecosystem, creating jobs in fleet management, maintenance, and customer service, while helping address urban mobility challenges,” said Zhan.

Partnerships that have underpinned the project include those with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, Uber, WeRide, and AiDriver.

Meanwhile, food delivery is getting its own autonomous upgrade. Jahez and ROSHN Group have launched the first fully autonomous Level 4 delivery robot in Riyadh’s ROSHN Front Business Area.

Five robots, equipped with over 20 sensors, six cameras, GPS, and climate-specific cooling, now operate there during working hours.

“Part of our strategy is to always optimize on automation, and this is part of the automation. To be innovative, we chose to optimize in our key pillar, which is logistics,” Mohammed Al-Barrak, Jahez’s chief technology officer, told Arab News.

“So we decided to go with the autonomous delivery. And this is part of many upcoming technologies that will help with the automation of delivery, like within gated communities.”

To prepare for this shift, the Roads General Authority has issued a Self-Driving Vehicles code, requiring smart road communication devices to relay real-time traffic and road data directly to autonomous systems.

With strong investment and clear regulation, Saudi Arabia is well-placed to lead the autonomous vehicle transformation.