Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has signed a strategic partnership with Glydways, a provider of automated shuttles and transit networks, to explore the deployment of its innovative transit systems across Abu Dhabi.
The collaboration, which builds on momentum from the recent Abu Dhabi Investment Forum in New York, marks a milestone for the emirate’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster and Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision to become a world-leading ecosystem for smart and sustainable mobility.
Announced during DRIFTx, Abu Dhabi’s flagship exhibition for smart and autonomous mobility held as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (ADAW), the collaboration will see ADIO and Glydways jointly develop an initial project featuring Glydways’ innovative high-capacity system, a revolutionary approach to mass-transit that uses autonomous electric vehicles operating on dedicated guideways to deliver on-demand, zero-emissions urban mobility powered by Glydways’ own AI platform: Glydways OS.
His Excellency Badr Al-Olama, director general, ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi continues to drive the next era of mobility through strategic partnerships that turn ideas into impact.
“By bringing Glydways’ groundbreaking technology to the emirate, we are not only addressing critical urban mobility challenges but also advancing our industrial diversification agenda, enhancing liveability and positioning Abu Dhabi at the forefront of the global autonomous vehicle revolution.”
The collaboration, facilitated through ADIO’s SAVI cluster, will focus on several strategic objectives, including feasibility assessments, regulatory ATN framework development and the potential establishment of a regional manufacturing hub.
Glydways also plans to establish a final assembly and production facility in Abu Dhabi, which would serve as a regional centre for manufacturing, assembly and export across the Middle East and beyond, aligned with the emirate’s strategy to localise high-value industrial capabilities within the SAVI cluster.
Mark Seeger, founder and co-CEO at Glydways, said: “Abu Dhabi’s visionary approach to innovation and infrastructure makes it the ideal partner for deploying next-generation transit solutions.
“Our system offers cities a scalable, cost-effective alternative to conventional transit that can dramatically reduce congestion and emissions while providing seamless, on-demand mobility with a private chauffeured experience, at the lower cost of the industry. We’re thrilled with ADIO and SAVI to bring this technology to the region.”
The Glydways system addresses critical urban transportation challenges by providing high-capacity transit solutions for various use cases, including last-mile and first-mile connectivity, intra-community connections and enhancement of existing transportation corridors.
The technology’s modular design and autonomous operation enable rapid deployment and flexible routing to meet evolving urban mobility needs while never compromising on passenger comfort and safety.
As part of the collaboration, ADIO will coordinate with relevant transport authorities, including the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), Abu Dhabi Transport (ADT) and Etihad Rail, to ensure seamless integration with the emirate’s broader transportation planning framework.
The partnership supports the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy 2031, which aims to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP to AED172 billion by 2031 and accelerate investment in high-growth sectors, such as AI and smart mobility.
It underscores ADIO’s commitment to attracting world-class technology companies and creating an enabling ecosystem for autonomous vehicle innovation, consistent with Abu Dhabi’s broader economic vision and sustainability objectives.
