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Yango Introduces New Ride-Hailing Features In UAE
The international service’s latest technologies align with the UAE’s vision to elevate road safety for drivers and passengers alike.
Yango, the International ride-hailing service, has launched new safety features for UAE users. The technologies demonstrate the company’s commitment to e-mobility road safety consciousness across the GCC.
The new systems, including Speeding control and driving-style monitoring, build on the existing range of technologies already in use, which include SOS buttons for contacting local authorities, route-sharing, and a Safety Center integrating the most up-to-date features.
The new additions to the service are designed to enhance road safety and reduce risk. GPS control monitors driving speed during rides, sending near-immediate notifications when necessary. Meanwhile, the driving-style monitoring technology is sensitive to harsh vibrations and hard braking. If drivers continue to perform poorly, access to the service is revoked. In addition, Yango evaluates driving style based on passenger feedback.
Aside from these features, Yango continues to work on several technologies to bring ride safety to a whole new level. Among those is an AI-driven route monitoring platform allowing the Yango support team to monitor route deviations in real-time.
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General Manager of Yango GCC, Islam Abdul Karim, said: “Safety of passengers and drivers remains one of our first priorities. Yango is setting a benchmark for road safety in ride-hailing and ensuring a safe and responsible ride experience for all. Our overarching goal is to empower the UAE with state-of-the-art technological solutions in ride-hailing, especially as the industry is set to have 3.25 million users in the country by 2027”.
Yango’s latest update aligns with the UAE’s broader vision for road safety. The Emirates has already embraced advanced technologies such as smart cameras to detect swerving, sudden lane changes, and illegal turns. In Dubai alone, 53 strategic initiatives now cover traffic control, vehicle and highway engineering, and traffic awareness, aiming to reduce the number of road incidents that occur each year.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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