First Driverless Trucks in Dubai Complete Initial Tests

The initial tests for the United Arab Emirates’ first driverless trucks have been successfully completed by a Dubai company.

Dubai South, a 55-square mile logistics and aviation hub, has been carrying out the program in partnership with local company Evocargo, following an agreement first signed in December 2022.

The unmanned electric vehicle, the Evocargo N1, has been thoroughly assessed on a set route in the Dubai South Logistics District, where it operated alongside other road users including pedestrians, automobiles and trucks.

The N1 uses an array of cameras and ultrasonic sensors for 360-degree visibility to help deliver its automated functionality and was measured across a number of tasks, including object detection, accident prevention, collision avoidance with moving obstacles and emergency stops.

A full range of maneuvers, including parking and reverse parking, plus turning and reverse turning, were also successfully tested, with no failures or hazardous incidents reported.

Similarly, a dedicated control hub – where the truck could be remotely monitored and controlled if necessary – also operated without any issues.

A second stage of the test saw the N1 evaluated for freight transportation across a standardized route in a closed area and again it was reported to have encountered no problems.

Related:Dubai Reveals Its First Driverless Truck

The initiative has played a key role in Dubai’s ambitious autonomous transportation strategy, which hopes to see 25% of all journeys in the emirate delivered by autonomous solutions by 2030. The policy is expected to bring annual revenues of $6 billion across several sectors once successfully executed.

Among the programs that have been rolled out over the past couple of years are testing of self-propelled traditional boats (or abras), trials of food delivery robots and preparations for the introduction of self-driving taxis.

The truck test was hailed by Ahmed Al-Ansi, CEO of Evocargo, who said: “The trials aim to attract new customers and investments in the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries, which are on track for world leadership in innovative tech. We are proud to be a pioneer and one of the first commercial suppliers of cutting-edge services in cargo transportation based on our own electric unmanned vehicles.”

Mohsen Ahmad, CEO of the Logistics District, Dubai South, added: “Our collaboration with Evocargo reinforced the UAE’s position in the industry and set a progressive stage for significant advancements within the regional logistics sector. Autonomous vehicles will play a pivotal role in revolutionizing the industry, enhancing efficiency, and reducing the overall carbon footprint to create a sustainable and technologically advanced logistics infrastructure that will benefit Dubai and the UAE.”

Related:Autonomous Boats Being Tested in Dubai