Saudi Arabia is aiming to have 15% of its public transport vehicles autonomous by 2030 as it seeks to become a leader in the future generation of transport. Omaimah Bamasag, the Deputy of Transport Enablement at the Transport General Authority, has said that the kingdom has also set a target of converting a quarter of goods transport vehicles into autonomous vehicles (AVs) by the start of the next decade. The kingdom’s ambitions for AV transport are primarily taking shape in its mega-developments, including Neom, the futuristic $500 billion mega-city, and the luxury resort-laden Red Sea Project.
According to Ms Bamasag, “These smart cities are designed to be sustainable through the introduction of new transport systems for passengers and goods based entirely on autonomous mobility.”
As Saudi Arabia’s major economic diversification program, Vision 2030, rolls out, technology is a key enabler of its transformation goals. Mega-projects in the country are making moves to use autonomous mobility in their respective locations, including forging partnerships. For instance, in December 2021, Neom and Germany’s Volocopter launched a joint venture to operate electric air taxi services in the city, connecting various areas, including The Line, Oxagon, and Trojena.
In AlUla, visitors can travel through the historic city by riding on an autonomous electric smart pod. AVs for passengers at The King Salman Park project in Riyadh and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal are also envisaged, Ms Bamasag said.
The global autonomous vehicle market is set to grow significantly, with the latest data from Precedence Research forecasting that its value will exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of almost 39%. This is close to an earlier estimate from analysts at Swiss bank UBS, who had suggested that the market could be worth about $2 trillion a year by 2030.
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