Bayanat, in partnership with the Integrated Transport Center, is deploying a fleet of autonomous vehicles, including TXAI taxis, Robo Minibuses, and Automatic Rapid Transits (ARTs), to transport visitors to Abu Dhabi’s inaugural DRIFTx event at Yas Marina on Yas Island.
Available from April 25-26, and operational during the event’s opening hours, the autonomous fleet will ease visitors’ transportation experiences around the event and is expected to become a major attraction at DRIFTx.
Operated in partnership with the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and the Integrated Transport Center (ITC), the fleet will transport a large number of passengers during the two-day event.
The vehicles provide transportation to key select visitors from W Hotel and drop-off locations across the Yas Marina campus. Upon arriving at site, visitors can enjoy the Automatic Rapid Transit (ART) to move between the parking lots and the main entrance. Visitors can call a ride through the dedicated DRIFTx app, which leverages what3words precise location technology to ensure smooth pickups and drop-offs.
what3words provides a simple way to communicate precise locations. Every 3-meter square in the world has been assigned a unique combination of three words, a what3words address.
This means every front gate, hotel entrance, stadium gate, tucked away side passage and wheelchair ramp has its own what3words address. By entering a what3words address in the dedicated DRIFTx app, passengers will be dropped off at their exact desired location. This partnership is another example of Bayanat’s ongoing commitment to collaboration with smart mobility partners, and leveraging solutions that make experiences easier for the end user.
Speaking about the announcement, Hasan Al Hosani, Managing Director at Bayanat, said: “Steadfast in our commitment to the advancement of smart mobility and urban development solutions, this fleet of autonomous vehicles is the convergence of Bayanat’s Smart Mobility Solutions. Operated by Bayanat, in partnership with ITC, the TXAI Robotaxis, Robo Minibuses, and Automatic Rapid Transits have transported tens of thousands of users since 2021 – clearly demonstrating the demand for sustainable autonomous solutions. Our vision for the future of mobility is reflected in this diverse fleet, and we are confident that the success of autonomous vehicles will extend beyond the region.”
Chris Sheldrick, Co-founder and CEO of what3words added: “Bayanat is providing an incredible service to this exciting, inaugural DRIFTx event. The dedicated DRIFTx app featuring what3words address entry will ensure riders are heading to the exact right destination, every time.”
Introduced in 2021 as an innovative pilot project, TXAI is the MENA region’s first Level 4-enabled autonomous vehicle fleet. Since the launch, the autonomous transportation fleet – encompassing Robotaxis, Robo Minibuses, and ART – has travelled over 500,000 kilometers and completed almost 16,000 rides. A safety officer remains in the car and can request control if needed, although most driving situations are managed without interference and the vehicle is considered fully autonomous.
The success of TXAI is a result of merging AI insights with Bayanat’s gIQ capabilities, which provide the critical data infrastructure for the operation of unmanned systems, including HD maps and HD positioning, while AI is what makes vehicle autonomy possible.
Bayanat has long been a pioneer of autonomous driving and unmanned systems in the Middle East, with a proven track record of technological capability and know-how including Autonomous Solutions, Cloud Infrastructure, Digital Twins, Charging Infrastructure, Transportation Super Apps, and Testing and Simulation.
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