'Smooth Ride': UAE Taxis Drive Towards Autonomous Future

Mustafa sits motionless behind the wheel, upturned hands in his lap, as his taxi drives itself, bringing the United Arab Emirates closer to an autonomous future. The "safety officer" is part of a trial for driverless cabs in the capital Abu Dhabi, where customers can be picked up and dropped off at nine pre-determined spots on Yas Island. It's been a "smooth ride" so far, said Mustafa, with no incidents that required any major intervention. Passengers' view of monitor showing road navigation, from the interior of a self-driving taxi being used in a tech demonstration in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi Photo: AFP / Giuseppe CACACE "In the past few days, we've had most customers order taxis from the mall or hotel," he told AFP. Bayanat, a branch of the Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 tech company, last month launched the trial of four driverless vehicles, two electric and two hybrid, under the name TXAI.