SelfDrive Mobility has launched SIA, a conversational AI that lets you search, compare, and book rental cars by chatting on the company’s website or app. It’s billed as the first commercially launched system of its kind for car rentals in the region, and it lands with wide language support, instant confirmations and secure, cashless payments. Launch discounts are live for UAE customers who book through SIA.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • SelfDrive launches SIA, a conversational AI that books car rentals via chat.
  • Supports 40+ languages and has been trained on 2.5 million sessions.
  • Instant confirmation and payments, including Apple Pay and Pay-by-Link.
  • Launch offer: Dh50 off daily/weekly, Dh100 off monthly bookings via SIA.
  • Soft launch lifted AI-driven bookings by 25%; full rollout starts in the UAE.

Meet SIA: a car rental you chat with

SIA acts like a booking agent inside a chat window. You message it with what you need, and it guides you from car selection to confirmation.

  • First commercial conversational AI for car rentals in the region
  • Works on SelfDrive’s website and mobile
  • 40+ languages, from English and Arabic to Hindi, Mandarin, Malayalam and more
  • Trained on 2.5 million+ user sessions for better context and recommendations

SIA’s purpose is simple: cut the usual multi-step booking flow into one conversation. The assistant reads your request, asks for missing details, and surfaces options that fit. The large language coverage should help tourists and residents alike, while the training on live sessions aims to reduce irrelevant suggestions and back-and-forth.

Booking flow: from a prompt to a number plate

The chat isn’t just free-text. SelfDrive added “Hot Keys” that act like quick prompts to speed things up.

  • “Hot Keys” for common actions make the journey up to three times faster
  • Real-time availability from SelfDrive’s fleet management system
  • Instant confirmation once you pay
  • Designed to reduce UI friction for routine queries, prices and availability

In practice, you might type “SUV in Dubai Marina from Friday morning to Sunday night” then tap a Hot Key to narrow by mileage or deposit. Because the AI plugs into SelfDrive’s fleet system, the car you see should be bookable, not a ghost listing. Once the payment clears, you get a confirmation within seconds.

The checkout is cashless and built for speed. It supports the usual cards plus a couple of useful options.

  • Cards: Mastercard, Visa, American Express
  • Wallets and links: Apple Pay and Pay-by-Link
  • Encryption and compliance with global data-security standards
  • Full flow designed to complete in seconds

Apple Pay support is handy for iPhone users in the UAE, where contactless has become the standard. The Pay-by-Link option also helps when you need to share a secure payment link with someone else. SelfDrive says the full flow, from final car pick to confirmation, is meant to be near-instant, backed by encryption and industry-standard compliance. For more on wallet tech and why it’s trusted, see our Apple Pay breakdown.

Related reading: Apple Pay has saved over $1B in fraud losses.

Availability, offers and where it’s headed

SIA is live now for UAE users through SelfDrive’s website and mobile, with more countries to follow across the company’s footprint.

  • Live on web and mobile in the UAE
  • Launch offer via SIA bookings: Dh50 off daily/weekly, Dh100 off monthly
  • Soft-launch results: 25% rise in AI-driven bookings
  • Planned expansion across GCC and other operating markets

If you book through SIA during launch, the discount applies automatically to daily, weekly or monthly rentals, depending on what you pick. The company says the soft launch lifted AI-driven bookings by a quarter, suggesting that chat-led rentals may become the default for many users. SelfDrive already operates in multiple countries, so the assistant will roll out to more countries next.

Why this matters for the UAE (and the industry)

SIA lines up neatly with the country’s push to put practical AI into daily services, not just pilot projects.

  • Supports the UAE’s broader AI strategy to embed intelligence across sectors
  • Moves routine work to automation so human agents can handle complex cases
  • Sets a template for other mobility services to adopt chat-first UX
  • Lands in a market already primed for AI and smart mobility

There’s a clear pattern in the UAE: put AI in the hands of real users and get measurable results. Mobility is a natural target because the steps are structured and time-sensitive. Expect other rental and subscription operators to follow with similar chat-first booking tools. For a sense of the wider landscape, see our coverage of UAE AI adoption and recent mobility expansions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

FAQs

What is SIA?

SIA is SelfDrive Mobility’s conversational AI for car rentals. It lets you search, compare and book cars by chatting on the company’s website or mobile app. 

Which languages does it support?

More than 40 languages, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Malayalam, Russian, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. 

How fast is the booking process?

SelfDrive says Hot Keys and real-time fleet integration make the experience up to three times faster, with instant confirmation once payment is complete. 

Is payment secure?

Yes. Payments via major cards, Apple Pay and Pay-by-Link are protected with encryption and global data-security standards. 

Are there launch offers?

Yes. Book via SIA to get Dh50 off daily or weekly bookings and Dh100 off monthly rentals. 

Where is SIA available?

It’s live now in the UAE and will expand to GCC markets and other SelfDrive countries next.