Abu Dhabi has taken a significant step toward the future of mobility, launching Tesla’s first ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’ road trials in the emirate while simultaneously overseeing the region’s first pilot operation of autonomous trucks.
The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, announced the commencement of Tesla’s advanced driving trials under driver supervision. The move marks a first for Abu Dhabi and signals the emirate’s growing commitment to smart and autonomous mobility solutions.
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According to a WAM report, the trials are being conducted within a structured regulatory framework designed to evaluate the technology’s performance under real-world operating conditions and verify its operational and safety readiness before broader adoption.
Tesla’s ‘full self-driving’ put to the test
The road trials are being carried out in coordination with the Legislation Lab at the General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet. The initiative aims to support innovation while operating within approved regulatory frameworks.
The ITC said the project seeks to establish an advanced model for testing driver-assistance and autonomous driving technologies in the region, ensuring that safety standards remain paramount while new technologies are introduced.
“The supervision of the ITC over the commencement of Tesla’s advanced autonomous driving technology tests reflects its regulatory and legislative role. These tests represent a qualitative step to evaluate the technology’s performance in a real-world operating environment and to collect the necessary data to verify its readiness before any future expansion in usage,” said Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, acting director-general of the ITC.
He added that through cooperation with strategic partners, the centre aims to strike a careful balance between encouraging innovation and safeguarding road users.
“Through this organised framework, and in cooperation with strategic partners, the centre seeks to strike a careful balance between supporting innovation and encouraging the adoption of smart solutions, while ensuring road user safety, in line with the emirate’s vision of developing an advanced, safe and sustainable transport system,” Dr AlGhfeli said.
MENA’s first autonomous truck pilot in KEZAD
In a parallel development, the ITC also announced its supervision of a pilot project for autonomous truck operations in partnership with Autotech and AD Ports Group.
The project is being implemented within Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD and is described as the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa for logistics and freight transport.
The initiative focuses on evaluating autonomous truck operations within a defined industrial and logistics environment. Pilot trips have been conducted along dedicated routes inside KEZAD in accordance with approved regulatory frameworks and operational standards.
During 2025, the developer worked under ITC supervision to adapt artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving systems to local road requirements and logistics transport needs. The objective has been to ensure safe, seamless operations while assessing the technology’s readiness for real-world deployment.
The ITC said the project forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the emirate’s smart mobility ecosystem and enhance regulatory readiness for innovative transport solutions. It is also expected to improve freight efficiency and operational performance across economic and industrial zones, paving the way for eventual commercial deployment of autonomous logistics services.
“These initiatives contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the transport ecosystem, supporting the competitiveness of economic sectors, and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading regional hub in adopting smart mobility solutions and autonomous systems, in line with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031,” Dr AlGhfeli said.
Together, the Tesla trials and autonomous truck pilot underscore Abu Dhabi’s strategy to integrate cutting-edge technologies into its transport infrastructure while maintaining a strong regulatory framework, positioning the emirate at the forefront of autonomous mobility development in the region.