Saud Bin Saqr Witnesses Launch Of Autonomous Bus Trial In Ras Al Khaimah

RAS AL KHAIMAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 01st Oct, 2025) H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, today witnessed the launch of the first trial phase of the autonomous bus project, RoboBus, on Al Marjan Island.

The initiative is a partnership between the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority and the Chinese company WeRide, a global leader in autonomous driving technologies, and was attended by Zhang Yiming, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UAE.

The step reflects the emirate’s move towards developing a smart and sustainable mobility system that supports its future vision and embodies the UAE’s drive to adopt innovation and advanced technologies to enhance quality of life.

Sheikh Saud affirmed that this trial marks an important milestone in future planning, leading to prosperity and embodying a commitment to fostering strategic partnerships and adopting innovative transport solutions that place people and sustainability at the core of progress. He added that it paves the way towards creating smarter, more efficient and higher-quality urban models.

He noted that the initiative is part of a comprehensive vision to develop an integrated smart mobility ecosystem in Ras Al Khaimah, transforming transportation into a holistic experience that supports the national economy, provides environmentally friendly solutions and reinforces the emirate’s position as a regional hub for innovation in smart mobility.

Sheikh Saud emphasised that the emirate is moving confidently towards the future, in line with national and global trends in autonomous transport and artificial intelligence, believing that investment in such technologies is a means to achieve transformative change across various aspects of life.

He stressed that true innovation is measured by its direct impact on people’s lives, through safer, more sustainable transport systems, knowledge-based economic opportunities, and more efficient and prosperous cities.

He highlighted that the project aligns with the UAE’s national direction of building a sustainable digital economy based on knowledge and technology.

He added that Ras Al Khaimah is an active part of the UAE’s ambitious national vision that prioritises investment in the future, sustainability and innovation, confirming that this trial is a first step in a long journey towards building fully smart cities and more advanced communities.

Sheikh Saud also witnessed the signing of two strategic agreements, the first between the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority and WeRide, and the second between the authority and Marjan, the master developer of freehold projects in the emirate, to enhance cooperation in developing future transport solutions. The agreements were signed in the presence of senior officials at the Mövenpick Resort on Al Marjan Island.

The first agreement was signed by Esmaeel Hassan Alblooshi, Director-General of the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority, and Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer and Head of International Affairs at WeRide. The second was signed by Alblooshi and Abdulla Al Abdouli, Chief Executive Officer of Marjan.

The signing builds on Sheikh Saud’s successful visit to WeRide’s headquarters in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, in November last year, during which Ras Al Khaimah signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the province.

The launch of the autonomous bus trial on Al Marjan Island marks a significant step in Ras Al Khaimah’s journey to develop a smart and sustainable urban mobility system powered by artificial intelligence, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a regional hub for smart transport and future-oriented tourism.