THE UAE PRESIDENT VIEWS ON STRENGTHENING THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS TO BOOST BUSINESS

TRANSFORMING DUBAI TO AUTONOMOUS MODE BY 2030 Under the Directions of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Future Foundation in conjunction with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority Launched the ‘Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy’. The strategy aims to transform 25% of the total transportation in Dubai to self-governing mode by 2030, linking 5 million daily trips, saving AED 22 billion in annual economic costs and positioning the government of Dubai as a global chief example through announcing an integrated strategy with clear enablers and targets within a specific timeframe.

The strategy includes the launch of ‘Dubai World Autonomous Transportation Challenge’ as a global RFP to encourage the world’s most innovative international companies, academic institutions and centres of research and development to test the latest advances in this technology by providing transportations solutions and scenarios that are realistic and suited for the streets of Dubai. The strategy will help reduce transportation costs and increase the efficiency of the transportation sector in Dubai by 2030. The strategy will boost national capacities by establishing a Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Transportation Systems to build international expertise. Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy aims to reduce traffic accidents and upsurge the productivity of individuals by saving hours on transportation trips yearly. It will also lessen the spaces allocated for parking. Dubai World Autonomous Transportation Challenge will be a global platform in which companies, R&D centres, manufacturers of vehicles and technology companies will compete in order to apply the concept of autonomous transportation in Dubai within two main tracks: The first track: This track features ‘Last Mile Transportation’, which will transfer the passenger from metro stations in the emirate to a group of nearby destinations, to increase the attractiveness of public transportation. The second track: This track will use autonomous buses within specific neighbourhoods to move people between specific destinations such as shops, schools, clinics and service centres.