The second edition of the Autonomous e-Mobility Forum closed in Doha on 9 September after three days that brought more than 1,500 attendees, 71 speakers and 33 exhibitors to Qatar to work through what it will take to put driverless and electric transport into everyday service.

Hosted by the Ministry of Transport of the State of Qatar, under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of Transport, the Forum ran across two conference days at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) on 7 and 8 September, closing on 9 September with the AEMOB Ecosystem Tour. Delegates travelled from 68 countries and included government leaders, policymakers, industry representatives, researchers, academics, technology innovators, and mobility specialists.

The second Autonomous e-Mobility Forum (AEMOB) has opened in Doha, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and technology experts to examine what it will take to move autonomous and electric mobility from ambition to practical deployment.

Hosted by Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, the two-day forum comes as the country builds on its investments in transport infrastructure, electrification and intelligent transport systems, while confronting the regulatory, technological and safety questions shaping the next phase of mobility.

With more than 70 regional and international speakers and discussions spanning autonomous mobility, electric transportation, infrastructure, regulation, sustainability and real-world deployment, AEMOB 2026 places collaboration at the centre of the mobility transition.

As Doha convenes this growing international conversation, the forum provides a window into how Qatar and the wider region are approaching the shift towards a more connected, electrified and increasingly autonomous mobility ecosystem.

Qatar is further advancing at the forefront of the global driverless mobility transformation as Doha prepares to host the second Autonomous e-Mobility Forum (AEMOB) on September 7–8.

Bringing together international and regional leaders from across mobility relevant sectors, the Forum comes at a time when Qatar has been moving from ambitious visions for smart and sustainable transport toward real-world testing and deployment.

The country’s rapid electrification of public transport, growing community interest in autonomous electric vehicles and investment in smart infrastructure are creating an important testbed for emerging intelligent mobility technologies. Beyond that, the development also raises questions around regulation, digital connectivity, data security, safety, and how autonomous and electric systems can be integrated into the fabric of cities and communities worldwide.

Against this backdrop, the AEMOB Forum provides an important platform for examining the technologies and policy choices that will shape the next generation of transportation. The Forum is also an opportunity to showcase forward facing mobility ambitions, engage with global industry leaders and reinforce Doha’s emerging role as a regional hub for innovation in driverless and electric mobility.

Beyond technology, autonomous mobility could increasingly form part of Qatar’s broader soft power portfolio. The push into driverless and electric transport reinforces its image as a forward-looking, innovation-driven nation, attracting partners, talent and investment beyond just hydrocarbons.

By hosting events like the Autonomous e-Mobility Forum, Qatar solidifies its position at the center of global sustainable mobility conversations, fostering positive ties and knowledge-exchange amongst policymakers, innovators, and technology firms from otherwise quite possibly competing nations.

Comparable to other regional initiatives such as the UAE’s Mars mission or Dubai’s smart-city branding, leadership in autonomous e-mobility could become a pillar of Doha’s innovation diplomacy. Just as global sporting events amplified Qatar’s visibility, mobility innovation offers a quieter, yet potentially more durable, area of impact.

With today’s global challenges urging equally global responses, an overlooked subset of diplomacy emerges as potentially pivotal: innovation diplomacy, a discipline related to the overarching concept of science diplomacy. Characterized by particularly collaborative prerequisites, science diplomacy, though lacking a precise definition, is usually understood across three dimensions, which could work similarly for innovation diplomacy: