Driverless vehicles to arrive in Dubai soon

Dubai is all set to be a smart city with its vision of having smart and driverless vehicles in the city by 2030.

A new plan that involves the usage of driverless vehicles and slowly replaces around 25% of Dubai’s transportation was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on his official Twitter account.

A 10-seater driverless vehicle was on trial at the three-day MENA Congress of International Union of Public Transport (UITP) and it marks the first time that a driverless vehicle has run on Dubai’s roads in a pre-determined route.

“Today we have adopted a strategy for self-driving transport.. By 2030, 25 per cent of all transportation trips in Dubai will be smart and driverless. The strategy is projected to generate economic revenues and savings of up to Dh22 billion a year” – Sheikh Mohammad

The vision behind this strategy involves increasing traffic efficiency, productivity, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and saving many driving hours (according to Sheikh Mohammad’s tweet).

Implementing this vision will reduce transportation costs by 44% and increase the transport sector’s efficiency by 20%.

”Dubai is leading cities of the world and making a qualitative paradigm shift to harness artificial intelligence in the service of the humanity and set a world unparalleled model for future cities, and is evolving into a global laboratory for technology and R&D.” – Sheikh Mohammad

Apart from introducing the driverless vehicles strategy, the Sheikh has also launched the Autonomous Transport Challenge, which will be the world’s biggest RFP to global R & D centers who can help in applying this plan and technology into action.

The Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Future Foundation will work together to convert this vision into a reality. The vision focuses on individuals, technology, policies and legislations, and infrastructure.

Dubai will be unstoppable once this vision is realized.

*Images and Quotes courtesy: Gulf News