Mubadala’s getting revv’ed up — with testing out driverless ride-sharing services this month in Abu Dhabi.
Bayanat, a G42 company backed by Mubadala Investments, is all geared up to kickstart testing with five cars across nine stops at Yas Island. As a passenger, you get to enjoy a free ride with a safety officer present in all cars, so that you don’t have to worry about any Tesla-esque (TSLA) inspired issues breaking out during the trip. The next stage of the project will find driverless vehicles in multiple locations across Abu Dhabi, connected to an exclusive ride-hailing app, which G42 plans to make public across the Emirates.
Since Mubadala’s officially hopped onto the EV station, we might want to check out where Dubai’s deal with General Motors (GM) is at, to begin operating self-driving taxis in 2023.
Why it matters
With Mubadala’s driverless ride-hailing plans, and Dubai’s goal of releasing 4,000 self-driving cars as part of the taxi force by 2030, the EV industry is definitely making its mark in the UAE, which will soon see a 25% autonomous force cruising the country’s roads by 2030.
