Starlink receives approval in Saudi Arabia, as confirmed by Elon Musk; Musk expresses ambitions for future deployments of Tesla's robotaxis and Optimus robots in the kingdom
In the realm of autonomous vehicle technology, two companies are making significant strides: Tesla and WeRide. While Tesla's focus remains on the United States, WeRide has taken the lead in Saudi Arabia.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has expressed enthusiasm about the potential for autonomous vehicles in Saudi Arabia. He proposed that The Boring Company could help alleviate urban traffic congestion by building underground transportation tunnels, or "warp tunnels." However, as of mid-2025, Tesla has no confirmed plans for deploying its Robotaxi or Optimus humanoid robots in Saudi Arabia. The company is currently focusing its robotaxi launch primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and other U.S. cities, with plans for deployment starting in late 2025 or 2026.
In contrast, WeRide, a Chinese autonomous driving company, has been granted Saudi Arabia’s first robotaxi autonomous driving permit. They are actively launching robotaxi pilot operations in Riyadh in partnership with Uber and local partners. WeRide aims to roll out full-scale commercial robotaxi services across Saudi Arabia by the end of 2025. The company is also operating autonomous robobus and robosweeper vehicles within the country.
Regarding Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, there is no public information or announcements indicating plans for deployment or testing in Saudi Arabia as of mid-2025.
Elon Musk demonstrated Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Donald Trump, but details about the demonstration were not disclosed. Musk did thank Saudi officials for approving Starlink, marking a significant step in the country's push for advanced digital infrastructure. Saudi officials responded positively to the prospect of Tesla's Robotaxi service in their country.
Musk suggested that humanoid robots could increase global economic output by a factor of ten. He also projected that tens of billions of humanoid robots could be produced in the future. However, it is unclear if or when Optimus robots will be introduced to the Saudi market.
SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has been approved for aviation and maritime use in Saudi Arabia, another significant step for the country's digital infrastructure.
In summary, Tesla’s robotaxi and humanoid robot deployments remain focused outside Saudi Arabia for now, while WeRide leads autonomous vehicle services in the Saudi market. As the world continues to embrace autonomous technology, it will be interesting to see how these developments unfold.
- Elon Musk, expressing interest in the potential of autonomous vehicles in Saudi Arabia, suggested that humanoid robots, like Tesla's Optimus, could increase global economic output by a factor of ten.
- In contrast to Tesla, WeRide, an autonomous driving company based in China, has been granted the first robotaxi autonomous driving permit in Saudi Arabia and is actively launching robotaxi pilot operations in Riyadh.
