Driving into the Future: Regulatory Updates on AVs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

4 min 6 sec December 3, 2025 (Edited)

The KSA’s stance towards autonomous vehicles (AVs) is overwhelmingly positive and ambitious. The government views AV technology as a key enabler of smart, sustainable transport systems and a cornerstone of its economic diversification. With substantial public investment and evolving regulatory roadmaps, the KSA is positioning itself to lead AV deployment in the Middle East.

Policy Momentum and Pilots

The Transport General Authority (TGA), in coordination with other public authorities, has the power to authorise limited AV pilots on public roads or controlled environments. In July 2025, the KSA launched its first autonomous robotaxi pilot in the capital Riyadh. It was backed by the TGA and multiple agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).

A 12-month trial introduced a fleet of self-driving taxis operating across strategic locations in Riyadh, including King Khalid International Airport. During the pilot phase, each vehicle had a safety officer onboard and AV trips were under close regulatory oversight, including through live tracking.

A strategic partnership between the robotaxi operator and a major ride-hailing platform has also been announced. The goal is to move the pilot program to full commercial operations by the end of 2025.

A Layered Regulatory Framework for AVs

KSA regulators have adopted an incremental, standards‑aligned approach to AV enablement, combining sandbox supervision with codified technical requirements. Key regulatory developments are outlined below.

AV Regulatory Sandbox

The TGA is responsible for leading the integration of AVs into the KSA. The TGA established an AV Regulatory Sandbox to pilot AV services in the KSA. The TGA’s Regulatory Sandbox allows companies to test robotaxis, shuttles, and delivery bots under the TGA’s supervision, with the aim of helping regulators establish further regulations. The TGA regulatory sandbox allows vetted operators to test autonomous systems on public roads within defined geofences, subject to stringent safety, data, and performance conditions. The first successful pilot program is due to launch commercial operations later this year.

Going forward, future AV companies entering the market will likely need to undergo similar vetting to receive their own licenses. The presence of multiple agencies in the vetting process (such as the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the SDAIA) means licenses are only granted when all stakeholders are satisfied with safety and performance.

Updates to the Saudi Highway Code

The Roads General Authority (RGA) is responsible for maintaining the Saudi Highway Code (SHC), a comprehensive technical reference for planning, designing, constructing, operating and maintaining all road networks in KSA. The SHC was recently updated to address the needs of self-driving vehicles as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

New rules regarding autonomous vehicles were issued in a testing phase in 2024 and are now codified in the SHC Volume 801— Autonomous Vehicle Requirements (SHC 801). SHC 801 provides a technical, operational, and legal framework for integrating connected AVs within the KSA as part of Vision 2030. It provides detailed requirements for physical and digital infrastructure, road operations, and standard compliance (including cybersecurity), as well as a framework for pilot projects.

Draft Technical Regulations

SASO is the national standards body responsible for setting safety and performance requirements for vehicles, including AVs. On June 15 2025, SASO issued draft Technical Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles. The draft technical regulations covered conformity assessment procedures and product compliance requirements for maintaining public safety and road users. The public consultation period ended on June 30 2025. It remains to be seen when SASO will officially publish the Technical Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles.

In addition to the draft Technical Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles, SASO has published Technical Regulations for Electric Vehicles. These regulations will be important for electric AV manufacturers.

In its regulatory role, SASO oversees conformity assessments and certification for electric vehicles and for communications and information technology (ICT) devices. Given the recent draft Technical Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles, SASO will also be responsible for conformity of AVs. Manufacturers or importers of AV technology must adhere to SASO’s requirements and undergo testing/certification via SASO’s SABER platform.

IoT Regulations and Tracking Regulations

The CST has materially updated its IoT Regulations and Tracking Regulations. Earlier requirements to host servers and store all IoT data inside the KSA appear to have been relaxed. However, IoT providers are still required to obtain connectivity through locally licensed telecommunications provider.

The CST’s Tracking Regulations, which govern fleet management services, have also removed explicit references to data localisation requirements. For AVs providing trucking or logistics services, a separate registration with the TGA will also be needed.

For AV participants, these changes are commercially significant. Providers can ostensibly leverage global platforms with regional compliance overlays rather than duplicating full‑stack infrastructure locally.

While the CST’s recent relaxations can be seen as positive developments, local data hosting remains a significant consideration, particularly for AV projects undertaken in collaboration with government-owned or government-backed entities.