A fleet of autonomous cleaning vehicles has hit the streets of Abu Dhabi to help the environment and drive up efficiency.
The Robosweeper units have been introduced on the Corniche in the latest step forward in the capital's efforts to modernise public services and integrate self-driving transport into everyday life. The vehicles move along programmed routes and clean without direct human intervention.
They are designed for use in urban environments such as pavements, squares and pedestrian areas and are intended to reduce reliance on human labour, while enhancing public hygiene. The cleaning device was launched by the Integrated Transport Centre, part of the Department of Municipalities.
The project was developed by Autogo, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi's government-owned technology company K2, under the supervision of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council.
“The deployment of such technology exemplifies our proactive approach to integrating cutting-edge technology into public infrastructure," said Dr Saif Al Nasri, acting undersecretary at the DMT. "This programme reinforces Abu Dhabi's global standing as a forward-thinking, highly efficient capital city."
Sean Teo, managing director of K2, said the initiative highlights Abu Dhabi's commitment to harnessing technology to improve public services. "The RoboSweeper devices represents a leap forward in building future cities, and we remain committed to investing in technologies that support Abu Dhabi’s vision and meet the needs of the community, today and in the future.”
Autonomous vision
The high-tech cleaning vehicles are part of the Abu Dhabi authorities' broader strategy to embrace autonomous technology. In September, Abu Dhabi launched its first pilot programme for autonomous delivery vehicles.
The trial is taking place in Masdar City, a sustainable tech hub, and the vehicles use advanced smart mobility systems and AI. In December, Uber and China's WeRide established the Middle East's first commercial driverless mobility service in Abu Dhabi. Tests for drone parcel delivery and flying taxis have also taken place.
