Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week begins on Monday, November 10, with industry leaders and global experts ready to tackle the most pressing issues in the sector.
The event will get under way with the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, which will include discussions, panels and insights on topics such as regulation, integration and scale, alongside the latest advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and smart mobility.
The summit will place Abu Dhabi's role as a global leader in autonomy sharply into focus, with a highlight on the emirate's role in driving autonomy innovations from pilot initiatives to public benefit across land, sea, air and robotics, as well as industrial applications, state news agency Wam reported.
"It is not just about technology, it is about reimagining mobility, industry and the human experience itself,” said Faisal Al Bannai, adviser to the UAE President for strategic research and advanced technology affairs and secretary general of the Advanced Technology Research Council.
The event reflected the UAE’s commitment to shaping the era of intelligent autonomy – where machines think, adapt and act alongside humans, he added. The summit is to feature 13 sessions with more than 30 speakers, with a goal of "enhancing collaboration among policymakers, operators, investors and innovators", as well as translating regulation into real-world applications.
The summit opens with a leadership dialogue on the role investment, integration and innovation will play in shaping Abu Dhabi’s autonomous economy, mapping commercialisation pathways to 2030 and 2040, the public-private partnerships that will enable them, and the governance and infrastructure that will support resilient, integrated cities, Wam reported.
“Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects the emirate’s vision to redefine the future of mobility by setting new global benchmarks for innovation and progress," said Mohamed Al Shorafa, chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport. "By advancing pioneering solutions across land, sea and air, we are not only promoting smart, safe and sustainable technologies, but changing how the world moves.”
Debating the future
The event also features a panel discussion called Regulating Autonomy that "will put safety first, exploring key topics from cyber security and data governance to public trust and accountability".
The agenda also includes a look at deployment with an event called From Concept to Reality, which will highlight scalable solutions such as robotaxis, public transport and last-mile delivery models, Wam added. This will followed by the Powering Autonomy discussion, which addresses the electrified infrastructure at the heart of city-wide operations.
Other panels include Human-AI Synergy and AI-Driven Decision-Making, which will include topics such as real-time AI systems across drones, smart roads and logistics, as well as secure cloud platforms.
The Cross-Sector Collaboration session will showcase how mobility, energy, logistics and technology leaders could structure partnerships to unlock practical, bankable use cases.
Designing Smart Ports & Cities will explore autonomy-ready urban design and industrial applications, with Urban Air Mobility addressing "certification, airspace integration and the connection between ports, airports and urban districts".
The Smart Cities in Action session will share live case studies and the Financing and Insuring New Asset Classes session is to offer insights into "how capital and coverage models will adapt for next-generation platforms".
“Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects our vision to build a dynamic, innovation-driven economy where technology and investment work hand in hand to drive progress," said Ahmed Al Zaabi, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
"In 2023, we launched the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry cluster as part of our efforts to future-proof our economy. Empowered by a business-enabling ecosystem, Abu Dhabi stands as a global hub where the future of intelligent mobility and the industries that power it take shape.”
The summit is not the only event taking place during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week. The DRIFTx exhibition will feature "smart and autonomous mobility solutions across air, land, sea and robotics in a live, interactive setting", from November 10 to 12.
RoboCup Asia-Pacific, running from November 10 to 15, is hosted by Khalifa University and will see international teams competing in AI-driven autonomous robotics challenges.
The final day, November 15, features the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, a motorsport challenge featuring the latest advancements in autonomous racing technology.
This page was produced by The National in partnership with Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit.
