Dubai Ruler: 25 per cent of all transport to be driverless by 2030

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, wants driverless transport to account for 25 per cent of journeys in the emirate by 2030.

An artist’s illustration of what driverless cars would look like travelling through Dubai in 2030. Wam
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DUBAI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, wants driverless transport to account for 25 per cent of journeys in the emirate by 2030.

The announcement was made on the opening day of the second Mena Transport Congress and Exhibition, an event organised by the Roads and Transport Authority – as a 10-seater driverless vehicle went on a trial run in the emirate.

Sheikh Mohammed said: “Dubai is surpassing cities of the world and achieving unique transport by using artificial intelligence to serve humankind.

“It is establishing a globally unique model for future cities, and it is turning into the world’s biggest laboratory for technology, research and development. Today, we defined a clear strategy and specific goals for smart transportation, so it may become one of the main axes in the achievement of a sustainable economy in the UAE.”

The 10-seater autonomous car – produced by Easymile, a French company, and Omnix International, based in Dubai – is designed to travel short distances on virtual routes and under various environments, making it capable of withstanding the country's harsh conditions.

The test run was another step towards achieving the goals of Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, to transform the emirate into the smartest city in the world. “We have moved from the stage of looking to the future to making it,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

dmoukhallati@thenational.ae