Live updates: Follow the latest news on US-Iran war
Abu Dhabi's latest fleet of driverless taxis are using advanced technology to help stay on course in the face of GPS challenges brought by the Iran war.
The UAE's public transport sector – as well as delivery riders and commuters – have in recent weeks grappled with scrambled satellite navigation systems.
Autogo, part of Abu Dhabi technology company K2, began commercial operations on March 13 and has made preparations to ensure it stays on track.
GPS jamming is often used to try to make access to navigation systems impossible, whereas GPS spoofing is used often by military or shipping companies to disguise the location of sensitive items.
Global positioning systems have malfunctioned, showing incorrect locations for users in countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Lebanon.
How do autonomous taxis deal with GPS glitches?
Autogo – which is initially operating on Yas Island and is offering free rides until April 12 – uses Lidar (Light detection and ranging) sensors and cameras – normal and hypersonic – to reduce reliance on standard GPS navigation.
GPS spoofing and jamming have become a challenge for Autogo as robotaxis rely on accurate maps and navigation on the ride to destinations.
“Safety hasn't been a question at all for us," said Omar Hanif Al Qassim, director of partnerships and acquisition at K2. “Rather than blindly trusting GPS signals, Autogo vehicles perform real-time cross-validation using data from multiple sensors, including cameras and Lidar.
“If a GPS anomaly is detected, the system automatically discards the false signal and continues to maintain accurate positioning using the remaining sensors."
Autogo said this “integrated approach” enables its vehicles to maintain stable and reliable positioning, even in complex and challenging environments.
What is the passenger experience like?
The National recently took a ride in one of their autonomous vehicles to see how the passenger experience compares to a typical taxi.
The robotaxi is booked through the Autogo app. When the robotaxi arrives, the door unlocks by typing the last four digits of your phone number on the door's keypad. A safety officer is present, but in our ride, he did not touch the steering wheel once.
The passenger experience is more comfortable and there are more amenities than a standard taxi. Cars are modern and fitted with the latest technology, letting passengers customise their experience through a digital interface.
The screen on the middle console lets passengers control the air conditioning, seat, windows and has a massage function.
The autonomous taxis have been subject to rigorous testing to ensure they meet the Abu Dhabi transport sector's safety standards.
“It has been tested for tens of thousands of kilometres. There is also a command centre that monitors all these cars,” the K2 spokesman added.
“They can see the car and the decisions the car is taking by the second. They can override the decision if they think it is not the optimal one”.
While the vehicles and technology were developed in China, they underwent extensive testing to adapt to the road conditions presented in the Emirates.
They had to “learn” to deal with roundabouts and speed bumps, and also travelled sandy streets and paths for data collection.
Self-driving cars and robotaxis have been in operation in the UAE since 2021, when Txai started operations in Abu Dhabi.
Since then, Weride and Uber have partnered to provide fully autonomous rides in certain areas of the city. The push for autonomous vehicles is in line with Abu Dhabi Mobility's drive to make 25 per cent of all trips autonomous by 2040.
Autogo is initially operating in Yas Island and plans to expand to Saadiyat Island, Al Maryah Island, and beyond.
