Self-driving cars in Abu Dhabi will 'talk' to each other in road safety plan

Space42 and e& to begin trials of digital systems linking self-driving cars to 5.5G networks and city infrastructure

Space42 has already carried out large-scale autonomous-driving trials through TXAI, its robotaxi service

Abu Dhabi’s space technology company Space42 is developing the digital infrastructure needed to enable autonomous vehicles to operate safely across the Emirates.

The firm has signed a partnership agreement with e& UAE, formerly Etisalat, to test and roll out Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, which allows vehicles to communicate with one another, road systems and pedestrians.

The collaboration combines Space42’s cloud-based mobility platform, which powers autonomous vehicles, with e&’s high-speed 5.5G and edge-computing networks, paving the way for future 6G-enabled transport systems.

Both companies will run pilot projects, work with regulators and test commercial models to build the systems needed for connected and driverless transport across the UAE.

“Pilot deployments will begin in Abu Dhabi and other designated smart-mobility zones across the UAE,” Hasan Al Hosani, chief executive of smart solutions at Space42, told The National. “We are still finalising our development, testing and deployment road map focused on autonomous shuttles, robotaxis and logistics fleets.

The UAE's first fully autonomous taxi is being trialled on Yas Island. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Phase one of the trial allows journeys to be taken around Yas Island.

Mustafa Wazir, safety officer, does not at any point actually touch the controls, but would do if it all went wrong.

Inside the taxi, the route of the journey is displayed.

A red button allows the safety officer to intervene in case something goes wrong in the fully autonomous taxi.

Gillian Duncan tries out UAE's first driverless taxi on Yas Island.

Download the TXAI application to ride the first driverless taxi on Yas Island.

A passenger gets into the autonomous taxi on Yas Island.

“These pilots will run on the Sovereign Mobility Cloud and be supported by Space42’s test vehicles, simulation platforms and mobility hubs. This phased rollout will demonstrate how advanced V2X technology and connected infrastructure can deliver safer, more efficient mobility at scale.”

Connecting driverless cars to 5.5G networks means vehicles can share and receive information almost instantly, helping them respond faster to traffic lights, pedestrians and road conditions. When 6G arrives, the connection will be even quicker and more reliable, allowing autonomous vehicles to operate more safely and smoothly across the city.

Space42 has already carried out large-scale autonomous-driving trials through TXAI, its robotaxi service, which has logged more than 600,000km and 20,000 passenger trips since 2021. The service has operated on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island as part of early testing phases.

Connected infrastructure to make roads safer

V2X systems allow vehicles to exchange data with surrounding infrastructure and other road users. The technology enables vehicles to detect what’s happening beyond their cameras or sensors.

“This holistic approach extends perception beyond line of sight, strengthens situational awareness and advances traffic analytical capabilities to help prevent collisions, improve traffic flow and support faster emergency responses,” said Mr Al Hosani.

Dr Sarath Raj, project director of the Satellite Ground Station at Amity University, said it was important for countries to have their own digital infrastructure for self-driving transport to avoid cyber threats.

“For example, when a connected vehicle in Abu Dhabi communicates through a local 5G edge node instead of a distant cloud server, critical safety decisions like collision avoidance or route optimisation happen instantly and securely,” he told The National.

In 2015, security researchers revealed that they were able to remotely access and control certain functions of a Tesla Model S by exploiting weaknesses in its on-board software and network connection. The car was not fully autonomous, but the incident still showed how connected vehicles could be exposed to cyber risks through their communication and control systems.

Developing regulations

Mr Al Hosani said the company is collaborating with the Integrated Transport Centre, Department of Municipalities and Transport and Abu Dhabi Police on regulatory development. These include creating ways to test vehicle safety, protect data and build public confidence in the technology.

Space42 uses a Digital Twin of Abu Dhabi, a virtual 3D model of the city that mirrors its roads, buildings and infrastructure in real time. The system collects information from satellites, sensors and traffic data to simulate how vehicles move through the city.

It allows engineers to test how autonomous fleets would react to different conditions, such as roadworks or heavy traffic, before any changes are made in the real world. The model supports Space42’s Sovereign Mobility Cloud by feeding back live data from roads and intersections.