Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates has launched, a trial of autonomous wheelchairs at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The new tech comes in advance of its move to the new Midfield Terminal, and is a partnership between Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Airports in collaboration with personal electric vehicle supplier WHILL, and information technology company SITA.
The WHILL ‘Autonomous Drive System’ wheelchairs enable guests with restricted mobility to move around the airport environment on their own, without the need for assistance from a member of staff.
The introduction of the autonomous option provides guests with the choice of freedom or to have traditional assistance via a team of dedicated porters, which will remain available.
The trial, which will last until the end of the year, will involve intensive testing and mapping of the airport environment to facilitate autonomous movement. This wheelchair is a first for any airline and airport in the region and features sensors to detect obstructions, providing an automatic ‘stop’ function. Future features in the pipeline include real-time gate and boarding time updates for guests.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group said: “Etihad is an airline that has innovation at its core, be that on the ground or inflight. This latest trial of autonomous wheelchairs not only showcases the airline’s commitment to innovation, but more importantly inclusive innovation. This trial is particularly important because it empowers Etihad Airways’ guests and provides them with a level of freedom at the airport which hasn’t been available before. The possibilities that this new technology introduces are truly exciting and the teams are working hard to ensure that the experience of the airlines’ guests is as seamless and independent as possible.”
Satoshi Sugie, Founder and CEO of WHILL, added: “Long distance travel has evolved in the past few decades, however there has been no innovation for travelling short distances. WHILL’s strength lies in the capability to provide hardware and service globally in the ‘safe, single-person vehicle’ category. We want to create a world with smart and fun transportation for everyone including those with reduced mobility, and are excited about the opportunity to trial our technology at Abu Dhabi International Airport in partnership with Etihad and Abu Dhabi Airports.”
Photo caption: Tristan Thomas, Director Digital & Innovation at Etihad Aviation Group is pictured with Salem Salah Al Shamsi, Head of Midfield Strategy, Etihad Aviation Group at the launch event, held at the Etihad Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi.
