Rox is made in the UAE, made for the world

Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become a global hub for AI innovation and advanced manufacturing has taken another step forward, and this time it comes with four wheels.

The opening of ROX’s Advanced AI Manufacturing Centre at KEZAD Logistics Park marks a significant milestone for the company and Abu Dhabi’s growing automotive manufacturing ambitions.

The 10,000-square-metre facility was officially opened at a ceremony attended by royalty, government representatives, industry leaders, media and automobile enthusiasts, with the first ROX ADAMAS rolling off the production line carrying the all-important “Made in the Emirates” sticker – applied by an AI-powered robot.

Mohammad Ali Al Kamali, Chief Trade and Industry Officer at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, explained that the project began with a simple conversation about building something special in the UAE, and just 19 months later, that idea has evolved into ROX’s global headquarters, a regional parts hub and now an advanced manufacturing centre.

Al Kamali says the aim is to create a lasting Emirati legacy, showcase the UAE’s capabilities and, importantly, bring Emirati citizens into new industries where they can develop knowledge, skills and expertise.

The factory of tomorrow

Step inside the new facility and it becomes clear that this isn’t your traditional car factory.

The centre includes a design studio where vehicles can be customised, an AI laboratory and the production line itself. Once the vehicle body is positioned, the rest of the assembly process is highly automated, with precision tools used to ensure every vehicle meets global standards.

The facility is expected to initially produce 20,000 vehicles in 2027, with ROX targeting an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles by 2030, contributing Dh30 billion to GDP by 2030, in support of the UAE’s Operation 300 Billion initiative, designed to strengthen the country’s industrial sector and position it as a global destination for advanced technology and manufacturing.

One of the things that stands out about the ROX project is the emphasis on developing partnerships within the UAE, such as the collaboration with Borouge International, which is supplying advanced polyolefin materials for the ADAMAS. Khalfan Al Muhairi, Senior Vice President for the Middle East region at Borouge International, explained that the relationship began around two years ago, with ROX looking for materials that could deliver quality while also being lightweight and energy efficient.

“It was a challenge, but it was an opportunity for us,” he said.

The result is that 17 components in the new ADAMAS vehicles have been produced using Borouge International materials. And according to Al Muhairi, this is just the beginning, with the two companies looking to establish a stronger footprint in the UAE and beyond.

Building tomorrow’s talent

ROX is also focusing on education and developing the next generation of manufacturing talent, so the company is working with Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, or ADVETI, to develop a new two-year diploma programme in AI-enabled manufacturing engineering.

Dr Ahmad Al Gharaibeh, ADVETI Director for All Campuses, explained that students will spend their first year on campus before moving into a full industry apprenticeship during their second year.

For students, it offers hands-on experience with the latest automotive and AI technology. For industry, it provides a pipeline of people being trained for the jobs advanced manufacturing actually needs – from engineering and robotics to AI and data.

ROX isn’t simply looking at AI as a way of making the manufacturing process more efficient. It is also exploring how AI can change what the vehicle itself is capable of doing.

Among the developments being explored is a drone that can launch from the roof of the vehicle to scout terrain ahead. Or how about an all-terrain robot that can patrol the perimeter of your campsite and keep a watchful eye out for danger? There is even a submersible in development for underwater exploration.

They demonstrate the direction ROX is heading – turning the vehicle into much more than a way of getting from A to B.

And if there is anywhere to test that idea, the UAE is a good place to start. From city roads to desert dunes and challenging off-road terrain, the country provides a unique environment for developing intelligent mobility.

Intelligence on four wheels

With increasingly intelligent vehicles comes another important question – what happens to all the data they collect? Modern vehicles are effectively computers on wheels, constantly processing information about their surroundings, performance and journeys.

That makes AI governance and data security an increasingly important part of the automotive industry. This is where Abu Dhabi-based sovereign AI company Aleria comes into the picture.

The company is working with ROX on AI-powered environmental perception for intelligent off-road driving. Aleria CMO Faisal Abubakar says the partnership allows the company to develop technology around vehicles that are constantly on the road and generating enormous amounts of real-time data.

For Aleria, the UAE environment provides an ideal testing ground before potentially taking these capabilities into international markets. And that is another recurring theme here: develop it in the UAE, test it in the UAE, and then take it to the world.

ROX already has more than 7,000 owners across the Emirates and says its vehicles are among the top three in the luxury all-terrain SUV market.

Globally, the company has sold more than 40,000 vehicles across 60 countries.

The next target is at least 90 countries by 2027, with expansion planned across Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia.

That makes the company’s tagline of “Made in the UAE. Made for the world” rather more than a catchy marketing line.

Abu Dhabi is the base from which ROX can manufacture and export vehicles to an increasingly global market.

There will also be a special Abu Dhabi edition of the ADAMAS, designed to highlight the additional luxury and comfort expected by local and regional drivers.

To showcase what the vehicle can do, ROX has announced the Grand Tour Season Two in partnership with Etihad Airways. The journey will take two UAE brands from Abu Dhabi to Casablanca, documenting the experience along the way. For Brian Bian, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, ROX, the complexity of developing a vehicle extends far beyond the car itself.

“It’s not only about the functional, but it’s also connected with the emotional,” he said, pointing to the combination of culture, design, technology, manufacturing, logistics and after-sales involved in creating a vehicle.

Made here, built global

This isn’t just about Abu Dhabi making cars. It is about building the infrastructure, partnerships, skills and technology needed to create an advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

It is about local companies such as Borouge International becoming part of the supply chain, educational institutions developing the engineers of tomorrow, AI companies working on intelligent mobility and international markets becoming destinations for vehicles manufactured in the UAE.

For ROX, the target is ambitious: 300,000 vehicles a year by 2030 and an Dh30 billion contribution to GDP.

For Abu Dhabi, the opportunity is potentially much bigger.

As the global automotive industry undergoes a major transformation driven by AI, automation and connectivity, the UAE isn’t content to sit in the passenger seat.

It wants to be behind the wheel.

ROX by Numbers

10,000 sqm: Advanced AI manufacturing facility

20,000: Vehicles targeted for production in 2027

300,000: Vehicles targeted annually by 2030

Dh30bn: Target GDP contribution by 2030

40,000+: Vehicles sold globally

60: Countries currently served

90: Countries targeted by 2027

7,000+: ROX owners across the UAE

17: ADAMAS components using Borouge International materials

19 months: From initial UAE conversation to operational ecosystem