LAHORE – The Punjab government has announced a plan to conduct trials of driverless cars in the province, marking the beginning of new era in transportation sector.
The announcement was made by Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan while addressing the Pakistan’s first ever Transport Expo in Lahore on Thursday.
The minister did not share the schedule for executing the plan. However, Punjab has become the first province to announce the trial of self-driving cars.
Driverless car trials are underway across several countries, marking major progress in autonomous vehicle technology.
In the United States, companies like Waymo and Cruise operate robotaxi services in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco.
China is running large-scale autonomous trials in cities including Wuhan, using fleets of self-driving taxis.
The United Kingdom launched the world’s first autonomous bus service in Scotland under the CAVForth project.
Countries like Japan, Singapore, Norway, and Germany are also actively testing self-driving shuttles and vans.
These trials focus on safety, navigation in real-world environments, and preparing legal frameworks for future commercial deployment.
E-Taxi Scheme Launch Date
The transport minister also announced that the Punjab electric taxi scheme will be launched within 15 days. If calculated, it becomes the third week of September 2025.
The initiative is set to be first electric taxi service in Pakistan. It is part of a global shift away from traditional fuel-based vehicles toward cleaner, electric alternatives.
In the first phase, 1,100 electric taxis will be distributed across the province, including Lahore.
