emirates7 - The programme for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, taking place on 10th November, has been announced, with global industry leaders set to gather to address the sector’s most pressing topics, including regulation, integration and scale, alongside the latest advances in AI, robotics and smart mobility.
Organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) as the opening event of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs and Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit will define the next chapter of smart and autonomous mobility.
The event will also highlight Abu Dhabi’s role as a global testbed where autonomy is advancing from pilot initiatives to public benefit across land, sea, air and robotics, as well as industrial applications.
The summit will feature 13 sessions and more than 30 speakers, designed to enhance collaboration among policymakers, operators, investors and innovators, and to translate regulation into real-world application and scale.
The summit will open with a Leadership Dialogue on how investment, integration and innovation will shape Abu Dhabi’s autonomous economy, mapping commercialisation pathways to 2030 and 2040, the public-private partnerships that will enable them, and the governance and infrastructure that will support resilient, integrated cities.
A panel discussion on Regulating Autonomy will put safety first, exploring key topics from cybersecurity and data governance to public trust and accountability.
The agenda will then turn to deployment with From Concept to Reality, highlighting scalable solutions such as robotaxis, public transport and last-mile delivery models, followed by Powering Autonomy, which will address the electrified and resilient infrastructure underpinning city-wide operations.
Human-AI Synergy will explore explainable AI, human oversight and service design that communicate risk effectively, while AI-Driven Decision-Making will examine real-time AI systems across drones, smart roads and logistics operating on edge and secure cloud platforms.
A Cross-Sector Collaboration session will showcase how mobility, energy, logistics and technology leaders can structure partnerships to unlock practical, bankable use cases. Designing Smart Ports & Cities will discuss autonomy-ready urban design and industrial applications, while Urban Air Mobility will address certification, airspace integration and the connection between ports, airports and urban districts. Smart Cities in Action will share live case studies, and Financing & Insuring New Asset Classes will conclude with insights into how capital and coverage models will adapt for next-generation platforms.
Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, said the event reflects the UAE’s commitment to shaping the era of intelligent autonomy - where machines think, adapt and act alongside humans. “It is not just about technology; it is about reimagining mobility, industry and the human experience itself,” he added.
Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said, “Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects the emirate’s vision to redefine the future of mobility by setting new global benchmarks for innovation and progress. By advancing pioneering solutions across land, sea and air, we are not only promoting smart, safe and sustainable technologies, but changing how the world moves.”
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said, “Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects our vision to build a dynamic, innovation-driven economy where technology and investment work hand in hand to drive progress. In 2023, we launched the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster as part of our efforts to future-proof our economy. Empowered by a business-enabling ecosystem, Abu Dhabi stands as a global hub where the future of intelligent mobility and the industries that power it take shape.”
Leading industry figures participating in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit include Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council; Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development; Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement; Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government; Badr Salim Al Olama, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office; Rashid Matar Al Manai, CEO of LODD Autonomous; Dr. Talib Alhinai, UAE General Manager of Archer Aviation; Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi, Group CEO of 7X; Mohamed Salah, Group CEO of Advanced Mobility Hub; Stéphane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE; Tony Xu Han, Founder, Chairman and CEO of WeRide; Sven Beiker, Managing Director of Silicon Valley Mobility and Lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business; Fay Arjomandi, Founder and CEO of mimic; Nikhil Goel, CCO of Archer Aviation; Matt Chasen, CEO of LIFT Aircraft; Tobias Liebelt, CEO of BENTELER Mobility; Mark Seeger, Co-CEO and Founder of Glydways; Michael Sønderby, Acting CEO of SteerAI; George Prentzas, CEO of Versa Aerospace; Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports; Hugo Fozzati, Chief Business Officer of Tensor; Sherif Tawfik, Chief Partnership Officer, G42 at Microsoft; and Desmond Wheatley, CEO, President and Chairman of BEAM Global.
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week six-day event line-up will begin on 10th November with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, where industry pioneers, policymakers and investors will take part in high-level discussions defining the next chapter of intelligent mobility.
From 10th to 12th November, the DRIFTx exhibition will showcase smart and autonomous mobility solutions across air, land, sea and robotics in a live, interactive setting.
From 10th to 15th November, RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025 will run as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week. Hosted by Khalifa University and held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, RoboCup Asia-Pacific will bring together top international teams competing in AI-driven autonomous robotics challenges.
The week will conclude on 15th November with the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), a motorsport event demonstrating the latest advancements in autonomous racing technology.
For more information on Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week 2025, visit: autonomous.abudhabi
Organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) as the opening event of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs and Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit will define the next chapter of smart and autonomous mobility.
The event will also highlight Abu Dhabi’s role as a global testbed where autonomy is advancing from pilot initiatives to public benefit across land, sea, air and robotics, as well as industrial applications.
The summit will feature 13 sessions and more than 30 speakers, designed to enhance collaboration among policymakers, operators, investors and innovators, and to translate regulation into real-world application and scale.
The summit will open with a Leadership Dialogue on how investment, integration and innovation will shape Abu Dhabi’s autonomous economy, mapping commercialisation pathways to 2030 and 2040, the public-private partnerships that will enable them, and the governance and infrastructure that will support resilient, integrated cities.
A panel discussion on Regulating Autonomy will put safety first, exploring key topics from cybersecurity and data governance to public trust and accountability.
The agenda will then turn to deployment with From Concept to Reality, highlighting scalable solutions such as robotaxis, public transport and last-mile delivery models, followed by Powering Autonomy, which will address the electrified and resilient infrastructure underpinning city-wide operations.
Human-AI Synergy will explore explainable AI, human oversight and service design that communicate risk effectively, while AI-Driven Decision-Making will examine real-time AI systems across drones, smart roads and logistics operating on edge and secure cloud platforms.
A Cross-Sector Collaboration session will showcase how mobility, energy, logistics and technology leaders can structure partnerships to unlock practical, bankable use cases. Designing Smart Ports & Cities will discuss autonomy-ready urban design and industrial applications, while Urban Air Mobility will address certification, airspace integration and the connection between ports, airports and urban districts. Smart Cities in Action will share live case studies, and Financing & Insuring New Asset Classes will conclude with insights into how capital and coverage models will adapt for next-generation platforms.
Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, said the event reflects the UAE’s commitment to shaping the era of intelligent autonomy - where machines think, adapt and act alongside humans. “It is not just about technology; it is about reimagining mobility, industry and the human experience itself,” he added.
Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said, “Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects the emirate’s vision to redefine the future of mobility by setting new global benchmarks for innovation and progress. By advancing pioneering solutions across land, sea and air, we are not only promoting smart, safe and sustainable technologies, but changing how the world moves.”
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said, “Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week reflects our vision to build a dynamic, innovation-driven economy where technology and investment work hand in hand to drive progress. In 2023, we launched the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster as part of our efforts to future-proof our economy. Empowered by a business-enabling ecosystem, Abu Dhabi stands as a global hub where the future of intelligent mobility and the industries that power it take shape.”
Leading industry figures participating in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit include Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council; Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development; Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement; Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government; Badr Salim Al Olama, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office; Rashid Matar Al Manai, CEO of LODD Autonomous; Dr. Talib Alhinai, UAE General Manager of Archer Aviation; Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi, Group CEO of 7X; Mohamed Salah, Group CEO of Advanced Mobility Hub; Stéphane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE; Tony Xu Han, Founder, Chairman and CEO of WeRide; Sven Beiker, Managing Director of Silicon Valley Mobility and Lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business; Fay Arjomandi, Founder and CEO of mimic; Nikhil Goel, CCO of Archer Aviation; Matt Chasen, CEO of LIFT Aircraft; Tobias Liebelt, CEO of BENTELER Mobility; Mark Seeger, Co-CEO and Founder of Glydways; Michael Sønderby, Acting CEO of SteerAI; George Prentzas, CEO of Versa Aerospace; Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports; Hugo Fozzati, Chief Business Officer of Tensor; Sherif Tawfik, Chief Partnership Officer, G42 at Microsoft; and Desmond Wheatley, CEO, President and Chairman of BEAM Global.
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week six-day event line-up will begin on 10th November with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, where industry pioneers, policymakers and investors will take part in high-level discussions defining the next chapter of intelligent mobility.
From 10th to 12th November, the DRIFTx exhibition will showcase smart and autonomous mobility solutions across air, land, sea and robotics in a live, interactive setting.
From 10th to 15th November, RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025 will run as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week. Hosted by Khalifa University and held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, RoboCup Asia-Pacific will bring together top international teams competing in AI-driven autonomous robotics challenges.
The week will conclude on 15th November with the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), a motorsport event demonstrating the latest advancements in autonomous racing technology.
For more information on Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week 2025, visit: autonomous.abudhabi