In the next 12 months, Inceptio Technology, a Chinese company specializing in autonomous heavy-duty trucks, plans to conduct a trial run of its self-driving trucks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. The move is part of their strategy to potentially commercialize autonomous trucking in the region within the next two years.
Julian Ma, CEO of Inceptio Technology, emphasized the attractiveness of the UAE and Saudi Arabia for testing due to their accessibility to talent and large market size. The company has already made significant progress in China, deploying over 700 autonomous trucks and covering nearly 56 million kilometers without accidents within the first year, accounting for 75% of China’s highways.
However, Ma clarified that fully autonomous, driverless trucks are still a few years away from becoming a reality. This transition will occur in two stages. The first stage, expected to last until 2027, will involve highly automated and semi-autonomous trucks that still have a driver in the cabin. This co-piloting approach ensures safety during the transition. Fully driverless trucks are not expected before 2027, or possibly later, due to the stringent technology and legal requirements involved. It is a lengthy process requiring regulator validation.
Inceptio Technology is also considering the UAE as a potential base for artificial intelligence (AI) software development. Ma expressed the company’s interest in the Middle East region, aiming to establish it as a technology hub for future development. The presence of Mohamed bin Zayed Ai University and the country’s appeal to talent from India, Europe, and China makes the UAE an ideal location.
Ma also mentioned the possibility of hardware assembly in the UAE or the region in the coming years. He envisioned the potential for a Middle East version of the Tesla Semi truck and suggested that establishing electric truck manufacturing here would be more convenient compared to traditional diesel truck manufacturing.
