Abdul Latif Jameel Partners with Uber to Develop Autonomous Vehicle Fleet in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel has signed a memorandum of understanding with ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies to explore building a next-generation fleet operations platform, including autonomous vehicles, as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 transformation goals.
The partnership, announced during the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, aims to create 30,000 earning opportunities for Saudi nationals while accelerating the deployment of autonomous mobility solutions across the Kingdom.
Hassan Jameel, Vice Chairman, Saudi Arabia, Abdul Latif Jameel, emphasized the collaboration’s potential impact: “Our collaboration with Uber reflects a shared vision for a smarter, more accessible, and autonomous mobility future. We are proud to be working with such a renowned technology leader.”
The memorandum was signed by Mr. Jameel and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, in the presence of H.E. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, underscoring the government’s support for advanced mobility initiatives.
Industry experts view this partnership as significant for both companies, combining ALJ’s deep operational experience in the Saudi market with Uber’s global technology platform and autonomous vehicle partnerships.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Abdul Latif Jameel to advance and accelerate a future of mobility that is electric, shared, and autonomous in the country,” said Mr. Khosrowshahi, highlighting Uber’s commitment to the Saudi market.
The agreement builds on ALJ’s history of identifying and investing in transformative mobility technologies. The company was an early investor in electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian and has maintained its position as one of Toyota’s largest independent distributors globally for nearly seven decades.
Under Hassan Jameel’s leadership, ALJ has pursued a strategy of balancing traditional automotive distribution with investments in emerging technologies. His educational background, including an MBA from London Business School, has informed this forward-looking approach to industry disruption.
“With mobility playing a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s urban transformation, the MoU addresses current and future opportunities, as well as the needs of drivers, riders, and tourists in line with Vision 2030,” the companies stated in a joint announcement.
The partnership reflects Saudi Arabia’s broader ambitions to become a global leader in autonomous vehicle deployment and smart city development. The Kingdom has invested heavily in transportation infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to support advanced mobility solutions.
For ALJ, the Uber collaboration represents another step in its evolution from a traditional family business founded in 1945 as a single gas station in Jeddah to a diversified global investor operating across multiple sectors in more than 30 countries.
The companies indicated that their long-term ambition extends beyond Saudi Arabia, with plans to create a scalable model for autonomous mobility that could be deployed internationally, positioning the Kingdom as a testbed for next-generation transportation solutions.