How a Saudi software developer is revolutionizing road safety with his AI driver-assist system

Saudi programmer and and automotive expert Nasser Mansour Al-Khaldi  at work in his car. (Supplied)
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Updated 14 November 2024
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How a Saudi software developer is revolutionizing road safety with his AI driver-assist system

  • Nasser Al-Khaldi is the mastermind behind a driver-assist system that performs well in congestion and makes roads safer
  • Developed by Comma.ai, the system incorporates AI-driven real-time analysis, using cameras and radar to prevent collisions

JEDDAH: Nasser Mansour Al-Khaldi is the researcher and automotive expert behind the Saudi-made version of an innovative artificial intelligence self-driving system that can be fitted to regular cars.

A native of Taif province, his passion for technology started at a young age through attempts to customize video games — including hacking his Xbox 360.

Since 2015, he has been focusing on autonomous driving technology — self-driving systems powered by AI. In 2023, the results of his efforts became apparent when he launched the first autopilot system in the Kingdom.

Al-Khaldi and his team — in cooperation with their partner, California-based startup Comma.ai — have developed an open-source software that runs the system, allowing motorists to install a driver-assist feature. The software enables the car to drive itself on motorways, staying in one lane and keeping a safe distance from the car in front, and to follow the vehicle immediately in front in traffic without human assistance.

“It took me around five years to develop a device that records vehicle data in order to analyze it and add more advanced safety and smart driving systems to existing vehicles on the market,” Al-Khaldi told Arab News.

“Yes, it is made in collaboration with our partner in the US, but we upgraded our own version and it has more features. So, you can say it is ‘made in Saudi Arabia’ by a very intelligent Saudi team,” he added.

DID YOUKNOW?

• The Saudi-made AI driver-assistance system was trained on over 100 million miles.

• It incorporates AI-driven real-time analysis, using cameras and radar to prevent collisions.

• It is compatible with more than 64 car models not supported by Comma.ai’s original tech.

• The Saudi-made device has been exported to the US, Europe, Africa, and the Arab world.

Although the base technology, Open Pilot, was developed by Comma.ai, Al-Khaldi explained that his version has been significantly developed to align with local needs, expanding compatibility to work with more than 64 car models not supported by the original.

The Saudi programmer also developed the autonomous driver technology to function at low speeds, improving its effectiveness in the stop-start traffic that is common in the Gulf region.

He explained that the self-driving device “leverages AI and remote sensing technology to continuously analyze and understand the vehicle’s surroundings.”




​Aside from developing Saudi Arabia's first autopilot system, Nasser Mansour Al-Khaldi is the researcher also developed the autonomous driver technology to function at low speeds, improving its effectiveness in the stop-start traffic. (Supplied)

The unit has been on the Saudi market for about a year and a half, and approximately 500 have been sold, according to Al-Khaldi.

“In addition to our presence in the Saudi market, we have also exported our device — which can be adapted to almost any modern car — to the US, Europe, Africa and other parts of the Arab world,” he added.

Arab News joined 29-year-old Al-Khaldi to experience the driver-assistance system, which is installed in his Toyota Highlander. We began the ride on the highway north of Jeddah.

The results were impressive. From the driver’s seat, with his hands removed from the steering wheel, Al-Khaldi said: “At this point our (system) can handle all types of curves. On the highway, you can drive for hours without any user intervention. I just drove from Taif to Jeddah on curvy, hilly roads without any user intervention.”

Al-Khaldi said that the system integrates multiple components to provide “a safe and efficient autonomous driving experience,” controlling steering, acceleration, and braking. It uses open-source AI technology, trained on over 100 million miles and able to adapt to a variety of driving conditions.

“The system relies on high-resolution cameras and radar sensors to detect lanes, track nearby vehicles, and analyze data in real time. This analysis helps prevent collisions and ensures the vehicle stays in its lane,” he explained.

“One of our customers who lives in the US installed our device in his car and recently, while driving down a long stretch of highway heading to another state, he lost consciousness and the car drove itself for two hours until he woke up. He later messaged us and expressed his thanks for our device’s reliability,” he added. “Following this event, the system received an enhanced safety update. Now, if the driver’s eyes remain fixed and unresponsive, signaling potential loss of consciousness, the system prompts the driver to touch the steering wheel, providing an additional layer of safety during medical emergencies like seizures or sudden loss of consciousness.”




Inspired by his team's successes, Nasser Mansour Al-Khaldi now envisions a future where AI powers self-driving cars across the Kingdom. (SPA photo)

According to the US website Consumer Reports, Open Pilot is currently the most advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) on the market.

Al-Khaldi and his team are now exploring ways to tailor the system to various levels of driving experience. “I think we’ll find better ways of doing it that will be simpler and allow more users access to the technology,” he said.

Al-Khaldi envisions a future where AI powers self-driving cars across the Kingdom. He said: “Saudi Arabia has an ambitious vision that embraces artificial intelligence technologies. Self-driving has become one of the most important AI tools.”
 

 


AlUla celebrates citrus harvest with Citrus Season 2025

Updated 13 sec ago
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AlUla celebrates citrus harvest with Citrus Season 2025

  • Such initiatives ‘showcase beauty of agricultural heritage and position AlUla as a premier agritourism destination’ top RCU official tells Arab News

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla launched Citrus Season 2025 on Friday. The event coincides with the peak harvest period, and “underscores the RCU’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector and establishing AlUla as a premier agritourism destination,” according to a statement.

Rami AlMoallim, the RCU’s vice president of destination management and marketing, told Arab News: “AlUla’s growth as a destination has always been rooted in supporting the local community, with farmers playing a pivotal role in our agritourism endeavor.

“The Citrus Festival is one of several platforms that celebrate AlUla’s farmers, showcasing their expertise and the city’s natural abundance. These farmers, with generations of knowledge and dedication, are also central to our vision for a more sustainable future. Through initiatives such as festivals, marketplaces, training, and ongoing support, we are amplifying their contributions and providing them with broader opportunities to thrive,” he continued.

Underscoring that the changing seasons are fundamental to agriculture, AlMoallim said: “We work closely with farmers to identify the optimal times for events like the Citrus Festival, which harnesses the peak season for the more than 20 citrus variants in AlUla. This thoughtful planning enables us to align complementary events, offering visitors an immersive experience that reflects the rich diversity of AlUla.

“Such initiatives showcase the beauty of our agricultural heritage and position AlUla as a premier agritourism destination in Saudi Arabia, contributing significantly to its economic and cultural development,” he added.

Citrus Season, which runs until Jan. 11, is intended to stimulate economic growth through community-focused initiatives and sustainable development projects. It provides a vital platform for local farmers to market their produce, which yields thousands of tons of fruit annually between November and February, contributing significantly to the region’s agricultural and economic development.

The event showcases the diverse range of citrus fruits cultivated in AlUla, which is home to more than 5,000 farms containing 405,000 trees between them, bearing 29 distinct varieties of fruits including oranges, sweet lemons, bergamot oranges, sugar oranges, mandarins, clementines, grapefruits, and kumquats.

Covering 701 hectares, these farms produce 14,000 tons of citrus fruit annually, accounting for a significant portion of the Kingdom’s total annual production of 160,000 tons.

This demonstrates AlUla’s crucial role in strengthening the national agricultural sector and supporting economic diversification in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The RCU prioritizes the development of AlUla’s agricultural sector to “expand economic opportunities, increase producer competitiveness, create opportunities for local residents, and offer visitors unique experiences through interactive activities that highlight the importance of agriculture to the region’s present and future,” according to the commission.

This year’s Citrus Season will feature exhibition spaces for local families and farmers, a variety of events for residents and visitors, and a training course on using citrus fruits in cooking.

Along with AlUla’s Dates Season, Citrus Season represents a key economic driver, showcasing AlUla’s rich agricultural heritage. 

Dates and citrus fruits play a vital role in supporting the local economy and advancing the RCU’s sustainable development goals.

 


Saudi Arabia affirms its readiness to participate in Syria's renaissance

Updated 03 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia affirms its readiness to participate in Syria's renaissance

RIYADH: Syria's newly appointed foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani said in a post on X on Friday that he conveyed on a visit to Saudi Arabia the vision of establishing a government based on partnership and efficiency that includes all Syrian components. 

Al-Shaibani said Saudi Arabia affirmed its readiness to participate in Syria's renaissance and support its unity and territorial integrity.

The minister said Saudi Arabia expressed its support for the Syrian people and the new Syrian administration. 

Prince Faisal reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to supporting Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity while emphasizing efforts to achieve security, stability, and prosperity for the Syrian people, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The discussions also focused on preserving Syrian state institutions, enhancing its capabilities, and facilitating its reintegration into the Arab and Islamic worlds, SPA added.

Senior Saudi officials including Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan and ambassadors Saud Al-Sati and Faisal Al-Majfal were also in attendance.

Al-Shibani arrived with a high-level Syrian delegation on Wednesday, including Defense Minister Marahf Abu Qasra and Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab.

They were welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji.

This marks Al-Shibani's first foreign trip since the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar Assad on Dec. 8.

The visit comes after Syria’s new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, praised Saudi Arabia's potential role in shaping Syria’s future during an interview with Al Arabiya on Sunday.


Salsola, the camels’ favorite food, plays a big role in fighting desertification

Updated 03 January 2025
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Salsola, the camels’ favorite food, plays a big role in fighting desertification

ARAR: Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region is characterized by an abundance of seasonal and annual pastoral plants which helps to fight desertification, increase vegetation cover and biodiversity, and stabilize soil.

 

Estimated at 104,000 sq. km, the region has many species of trees, shrubs and pastoral plants, most notably the evergreen shrub Salsola, which is eaten predominantly by camels, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

 

Nasser Rashid Al-Majlad, president of the Aman Environmental Society in the Northern Borders region, said the region is classified as a pastoral area and has many multi-purpose plants.

 

Its topography has contributed to the diversity of its plants and trees, of which the most famous is Salsola, also known as Caroxylon imbricatum.

 

This evergreen shrub is a summer plant of the Salsola vermiculata genus, which grows in the Arabian Peninsula as well as in the deserts and arid regions of southwestern Asia and North Africa.

 

It grows over a meter tall, and its leaves contain an unpleasantly smelling sap. It is one of the preferred pastoral plants for camels in particular.

 

In some places, it has been a tradition to use Salsola for treating skin disorders.

 

Nature reserves and the Saudi Green Initiative have contributed to afforestation and land reclamation, as well as to the restoration of native plants to their habitats.


Czech president begins official visit to Saudi Arabia

Updated 03 January 2025
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Czech president begins official visit to Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: Czech President Petr Pavel arrived in Jeddah on Thursday as part of his official visit to the Kingdom. The leader was welcomed at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Makkah province. The welcoming committee also included Ali bin Mohammed Al-Qarni, deputy secretary of Jeddah governorate; Maj. Gen. Suleiman bin Omar Al-Tuwaireb, director of Jeddah Police, and Ahmed Abdullah bin Dhafer, director-general of the Royal Protocol Office in Makkah.


Traditional Al-Sadu pattern forms integral part of the Saudi Arabia’s cultural fabric

Updated 03 January 2025
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Traditional Al-Sadu pattern forms integral part of the Saudi Arabia’s cultural fabric

  • Council of Ministers designate 2025 as Year of Handicrafts 

RIYADH: The craft of Al-Sadu is alive across the Kingdom — not only in the depths of the Badia, where the art originated, but also in cities, houses, festivals, exhibitions, events, and art and creative galleries.

Al-Sadu is a popular cultural and civilizational symbol that embodies the distinction of the people of the Kingdom and the Arabian Peninsula.

The “traditional weaving of Al-Sadu” was included in 2020 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A new logo inspired by Al-Sadu has been launched for the Riyadh Expo 2030.

The Saudi Council of Ministers designated 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts, in order to highlight traditional Saudi crafts and craftsmen.

The raw materials used in Al-Sadu are abundantly found in the Kingdom’s desert. They include goat hair, wool from sheep, and camel fuzz. 

Bedouin women mastered the craft, and it was utilized in building Bedouin tents and meeting the needs of families with furnishings such as bedspreads and covers.

The Al-Sadu process goes through several phases. It starts with cutting the wool, sorting it, and then washing it using certain substances, such as soap or ash, to rid it of any plant matter or thorns.

The material is then dried, spun into yarn, and then dyed in natural colors extracted from plants and trees’ peels and roots, such as saffron and henna. Traditional Al-Sadu colors are black, white, red, and brown.

The pieces are then decorated with embroidery, ornaments, and creative art paintings of geometric patterns such as rectangles, circles, triangles and other distinctive forms, many of which symbolize details and connotations associated with the Bedouin.

To knit the threads and weave these unique pieces, craftswomen use the spindle, the loom, and wooden equipment such as the menfash, which is a nail-padded wooden weaving tool used to tease the wool after collecting, washing and drying it. This step is followed by the spinning process, which turns the wool into the spun yarn used in the remaining weaving stages.

The Al-Sadu weaving craft enjoys great significance in various regions of the Kingdom, including Jouf, where many artisans and productive families make unique Al-Sadu products.

Al-Sadu artisans are supported by the Jouf Municipality and governmental and non-governmental sectors, including the Maghazil Al-Sadu Association, which organizes many training programs for craftswomen, as well as exhibitions and programs aimed at marketing and familiarizing people with the art.

Dr. Hiam bint Mubarak Al-Buhairan, the association’s chairperson on the board of directors, said: “Al-Sadu is a symbol of Jouf and the Kingdom, and a national and international resource.

“The association works on protecting, developing, documenting and achieving the sustainability of Al-Sadu, for present and future generations.”

Al-Buhairan said that the association’s goals included providing professional opportunities for talent; raising awareness in the fashion industry; advising those interested in fashion; providing educational and training opportunities; supporting researchers; and contributing to the development of the sector.

The King Abdulaziz Women’s Society for Social Development in Jouf provides Al-Sadu craftswomen with support and training as part of the Made in Saudi project.