Riyadh prepares trials of 24 autonomous trucks — Asharq Al-Awsat
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, test operations of 24 autonomous trucks for parcel delivery are planned to begin by mid-November. The first stage involves transporting shipments between the main logistics center and district centers of the capital in cooperation with Saudi Post | SPL.
As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, the pilot project is being implemented by Abdul Latif Jameel Motors under a memorandum with Chinese company Zeelos Technology, which specializes in autonomous driving technologies. In May, Saudi Arabia’s General Transport Authority sponsored the signing of this memorandum.
Pilot parcel delivery
Abdul Latif Jameel Motors’ general manager for mobile solutions projects, Ammar Baterdok, said the trials will begin after geospatial mapping is completed and the autonomous driving systems are trained on local roads. Four vehicles have already arrived in the country, while another 20 are en route. According to him, transportation is being complicated by logistical problems affecting supplies from China due to developments in the region.
The fleet includes models with payload capacities of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 tonnes, including refrigerated and non-refrigerated trucks. Services during the testing period will be provided free of charge. The company allows for the trials to be extended for several months to collect data on vehicle performance and economic feasibility before a possible commercial rollout.
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Assessment of costs and road conditions
According to Baterdok, the pilot stage costs millions of Saudi riyals and includes the purchase of vehicles, customs clearance, fees and taxes. He noted that the purpose of the investment is not direct profit, but testing the technology’s technical and economic viability.
The company expects autonomous trucks to reduce personnel and maintenance costs and operate around the clock, except for charging time. At the same time, logistics expert Hassan Al-Khalil stressed that the large-scale use of such transport would require precise maps, reliable communications, smart infrastructure and coordination among the relevant authorities. Among the challenges, he named traffic congestion, roadworks, dust, route changes, and the organization of loading and unloading points.
Saudi Arabia is already testing autonomous passenger transport: according to the publication, more than 1,600 trips have been completed on over five routes, used by more than 3,100 passengers. Abdul Latif Jameel Motors is also exploring the possibility of delivering goods by drones after the necessary regulations and licenses are introduced.
