One of the key authorities overseeing mobility and transport in the emirate, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, has announced the start of Tesla, Inc.’s ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’ road trials in Abu Dhabi, conducted under driver supervision.
This marks a first for the emirate and is being carried out within a structured framework to evaluate the technology’s performance in real-world conditions and confirm its operational and safety readiness.
The trials are being carried out in coordination with the Legislation Lab at the General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet, in a strategic step to support innovation within approved regulatory frameworks and to establish an advanced model for testing driver-assistance and advanced driving technologies in the region, while maintaining a careful balance between safety requirements and encouraging the adoption of modern innovations.
In this context, Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre, said: “The supervision of the Integrated Transport Centre over the commencement of Tesla’s advanced autonomous driving technology tests reflects its regulatory and legislative role. These tests represent a qualitative step to evaluate the technology’s performance in a real-world operating environment and to collect the necessary data to verify its readiness before any future expansion in usage.”
He added: “Through this organised framework, and in cooperation with strategic partners, we seek to achieve a balance between supporting innovation and encouraging the adoption of smart solutions on one hand and ensuring the safety of road users on the other, in line with the emirate’s direction to develop an advanced, safe, and sustainable transport system.”
This program marks a further step in Abu Dhabi’s efforts to evaluate advanced innovations and strengthen readiness to adopt future mobility solutions in line with approved safety requirements, supporting the development of a safer, more advanced transport system.
