Inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit Sets Path for Future Mobility

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit is set to take place on 10 November 2025, revealing a comprehensive programme focused on regulation, real-world deployments, and cross-sector integration in the field of autonomous technology. Organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), the summit aims to gather global industry leaders to address crucial challenges regarding smart and autonomous mobility.

Taking place as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, the summit will feature discussions on topics such as AI safety, human-AI trust, urban air mobility, and the development of smart ports and cities. With a goal to map commercialisation pathways towards 2030 and 2040, the event emphasizes the need for aligning policy, investments, and deployment strategies at a city-wide scale.

Key Themes and Sessions at the Summit

Under the theme “Where the Future of Smart and Autonomous Mobility Takes Shape,” the summit will present 13 sessions featuring more than 30 speakers. The opening Leadership Dialogue will focus on how investment, integration, and innovation can shape Abu Dhabi’s autonomous economy. This session will outline the public-private partnerships essential for developing robust governance and infrastructure necessary for integrated cities.

A subsequent panel, titled Regulating Autonomy, will discuss the importance of prioritizing safety before scaling technologies. Topics will include cybersecurity, data governance, and building public trust in autonomous systems. The agenda will also highlight practical deployment strategies with a session on From Concept to Reality, which will showcase robotaxis, public transport innovations, and last-mile delivery models.

Other notable sessions include Powering Autonomy, which will delve into the electrified infrastructure needed for city-wide operations, and Human-AI Synergy, focusing on explainable AI and human oversight in service design. A session on Cross-Sector Collaboration will explore how leaders in mobility, energy, logistics, and technology can form partnerships to unlock viable use cases.

The summit will also cover Designing Smart Ports and Cities, which will highlight urban designs ready for autonomy, and Urban Air Mobility, addressing certification and airspace integration. The event will conclude with Financing and Insuring New Asset Classes, examining how capital models will adapt for next-generation platforms.

Notable Participants and Industry Insights

The summit will feature prominent industry figures such as Sherif Tawfik, Chief Partnership Officer of G42; Tony Xu Han, Founder and CEO of WeRide; and Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer of Archer Aviation. Other notable speakers include Dr Talib Alhinai, Matt Chasen, Tobias Liebelt, and His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council.

His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai stated, “Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects our commitment to shaping the era of intelligent autonomy – where machines think, adapt, and act alongside us. It’s not just about technology; it’s about reimagining mobility, industry, and the human experience itself.”

The week will include additional events such as the DRIFTx exhibition from 10-12 November, showcasing smart and autonomous mobility solutions, and the RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025, running from 10-15 November, which will host teams competing in AI-driven robotics challenges. The week will conclude with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) on 15 November, featuring a prize pool of $2.25 million and participation from elite research teams across ten countries.

The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week aims to position the emirate as a global hub for innovation and investment in autonomous technologies, reinforcing its pivotal role in the future of smart mobility. For more information on the week’s events, interested parties can visit autonomous.abudhabi and follow social media channels at @autonomousad. Accredited media can also register for interview requests with confirmed speakers.

Established in 2024, the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council is tasked with directing Abu Dhabi’s strategic initiatives in smart and autonomous technologies. Through collaboration with government entities and industry stakeholders, SASC is instrumental in developing a world-class ecosystem that ensures Abu Dhabi’s leadership in future technologies and the safe deployment of autonomous systems.