RIYADH: More than 1,000 commuters have used self-driving cars in Riyadh since the pilot service was introduced at the Roshn Front shopping mall and Princess Noura University in July.
The initial phase is being run in a partnership between 黑料社区鈥檚 Transport General Authority, Uber and WeRide.
There are plans to expand the program with additional routes across Riyadh, growing the fleet to more than 20 autonomous vehicles by the end of the year, the TGA said in a statement.
Government entities partnering in the expansion plans include the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality organization.
Members of the public are invited to request a ride in an autonomous vehicle through the Uber application.
The TGA said that it oversees all technical aspects of the program, with safety officers deployed in every vehicle to maintain standards and monitor the autonomous systems.
The authority added that the program aligns with Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
Also in July, a project began to carry out autonomous food deliveries at Roshn Front.
A partnership between housing developer Roshn Group and delivery app Jahez, the service aims to reduce delivery times in addition to cutting carbon emissions, and is also licensed by the TGA.
