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Companies team for autonomous mobility in UAE
Autonomous A2Z will combine its Level-4 autonomous driving tech with Space42’s AI, geospatial, and connectivity capabilities to expand smart mobility in UAE.
At a glance
Who: Space42; Autonomous A2Z.
What: UAE-based AI-powered spacetech company Space42 and South Korean driving company Autonomous A2Z (A2Z) have signed a $7m agreement to deploy Level-4 mobility solutions in the UAE.
Why: The phased rollout will provide road-based operational insights, to support future growth across additional transport use cases.
Where: The partnership is focused on expanding smart mobility markets in UAE.
UAE-based AI-powered spacetech company Space42 and South Korean driving company Autonomous A2Z (A2Z) have signed a $7m agreement to deploy Level-4 mobility solutions in the UAE.
This is the first commercial agreement in the two companies’ broader partnership. It is a direct supply contract, separate from the joint venture announced in 2025 to support the long-term commercialisation of intelligent mobility solutions in the UAE.
Level-4 autonomous driving tech
The agreement combines A2Z’s proven Level-4 autonomous driving technology with Space42’s AI, geospatial, and connectivity capabilities. For A2Z, the milestone represents a significant step in its international expansion strategy, bringing Korean-developed autonomous driving technology to one of the world’s fastest-growing smart mobility markets. For Space42, it advances the company’s sectorial priority to enable safe and reliable driverless vehicle operations at scale.
Pilot Robo-Shuttle services using A2Z’s ROii, alongside other modified and retrofitted autonomous vehicles, will undergo operational testing and demand assessment. This will be followed by an expected expansion into demand-responsive transport (DRT) and tourism shuttle operations.
“The UAE has created the conditions for its integration within everyday transport, and our focus is to turn that ambition into a dependable service that moves people seamlessly, aligned with world-class safety standards”
The phased rollout will provide road-based operational insights to support future growth across additional transport use cases.
“Autonomous mobility is critical infrastructure for smart city development,” said Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of smart solutions at Space42. “The UAE has created the conditions for its integration within everyday transport, and our focus is to turn that ambition into a dependable service that moves people seamlessly, aligned with world-class safety standards. Working with A2Z brings us closer to establishing a model that serves the UAE and responds to the market’s changing transport needs.”
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The project aligns with the UAE’s broader vision to advance AI-enabled transportation and intelligent mobility, as part of its National Smart Mobility Strategy. The project also builds on Space42’s portfolio of mobility solutions, including TXAI, an autonomous taxi service that has travelled more than 600,000km across 20,000 trips with zero recorded accidents since operations began in 2021.
“This agreement demonstrates that autonomous driving technology developed and validated in Korea is ready for international deployment,” said Han Ji-hyung, CEO of Autonomous A2Z. “Together with Space42, we look forward to bringing proven autonomous mobility solutions to the UAE and expanding into global markets.”
A2Z’s has conducted autonomous driving trials across 13 cities and provinces in Korea and operates 91 permitted autonomous vehicles with more than 1.02 million kilometres of cumulative driving experience, spanning software development, vehicle integration, fleet operations, and service management.
The development follows several years of collaboration between Korea and the UAE, supported by government initiatives in technology development, testing, and market entry. Commercial execution was led by A2G (Autonomous to Global), A2Z’s Singapore-based joint venture with Kilsa Global.
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What does Space42’s $7 million agreement with A2Z cover?Which autonomous vehicles will undergo testing in the UAE first?What services could follow the initial Robo-Shuttle pilots?How many kilometres has Space42’s TXAI travelled without recorded accidents?What experience does A2Z bring from its Korean autonomous driving trials?
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