On a mission to transform into a ‘smart city,’ Dubai is leaving no stone unturned. Already celebrated for its phenomenal adaptation to the latest technologies, Dubai city is moving another level up with the ‘self-driving transport’ (SDT)strategy aiming to achieve 25% driverless vehicles by 2030. According to the predictions from the top marketing research companies in Dubai, the future for the transport and vehicle market lies in automation, innovation, and autonomous driving initiatives. Though the prognosis seems fruitful and revolutionary, the country still needs tremendous effort to reach its goal.
However, as the initial step to achieve the goal of 4,000 autonomous driving vehicles by 2030, the government is all set to launch the first few self-driving taxis in partnership with the General Motors-backed Cruise in 2023. In one of the recent conferences of the World AI Show, former Renault General Manager, Seham El-Behissy, summed up that although autonomous private mobility is still a long road, public transport is surely going to transform into self-driving vehicles by 2030.
Mattar Al-Tayer, the chairman and director general of Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) mentioned that the idea of working towards the SDT strategy is to nurture and reap innovation through technologies to offer ease and bring happiness to people. He also highlighted the key enablers for the mission, the primary purpose list, and the initiatives in place for hitting the target.
Here’s how Dubai is working to go driverless by 2030
1. The launch of the 3rd Dubai World Challenge for Self-driving Transport
As an initiative to push the strategy of autonomous public transport, the Dubai world challenge this year focuses on ‘self-driving buses.’ The competition was announced in May 2022 with registrations closed in August, finalists to be announced in October this year, and winners declared in October 2023. Welcoming participants under the industry leader’s category from both local and international organizations, the RTA authorities have fixed prize money of $2.3 million.
2. Two Chevrolet EVs set in motion for creating digital maps
Kickstarting the dream of moving to driverless shared vehicles by 2030, the Dubai Government set up two Chevrolet Bolt EVs to map the Dubai roads to curate digital maps. This process is also a prelude to the upcoming launch of autonomous Cruise vehicles in Dubai in 2023.
3. Testing smart vehicles, reading and analysing mobility data in process
Renault’s former manager, El-Behissy, states that testing for smart buses is already on rounds in Silicon Oasis, Masdar City in Dubai, and Ajman. The use of connected cars to collect, analyse, and decode data for optimum utilization is taken as means to surf through the process of achieving self-driving vehicles. Industries, universities, and agencies are collaborating to bring this dream come true.
Self-driving Transport Strategy Enablers and Vision
According to Mattar Al-Tayer, here are some key enablers the Dubai government is focusing on to bring the dream of autonomous vehicles to life:
- Reframing legislation, policies, and cybersecurity rules.
- Issuance of self-driving licenses and related insurance regulations.
- Revisiting infrastructure and comprehending the issuance of self-driving vehicles.
- Enlightening people towards the new tech and ensuring acceptance.
- Working towards high-definition digital maps and connectivity between transport.
The Future Ahead
As per the data analysed by some of the most popular marketing consultancies in UAE, the path to achieving SDT in the city is tough but not impossible. Viewing the powerful initiatives laid by the Government, the collaborative work of industry leaders, and the exemplary implementation of data and analytics, the future for an autonomous transport system is very close for Dubai.
