Dubai is going to welcome self-driving cars sooner than we first thought of. The app based chauffeur cab booking service Careem has partnered with Next Future Transportation to offer commuters electric self-driving pods that are driverless.
The initiative is in line with the Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy. The government knows the impact of global warming and is committed to limit the carbon emission by making 25% of all transportation trips in Dubai driverless. This is the first of its kind strategy in Gulf, which was declared by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai’s announcement.
The self-driving pods were introduced during Gitex 2016 to show people how easy their commutes could be through this mass transportation system. The pods can move individually or they can be combined to create a bus-like structure. They can be detached at any location, thus making them highly portable, safe and environment friendly.
“As one of the fastest growing tech start-ups in the Mena region, Careem prides itself on innovation and therefore this strategic partnership with a forward-thinking company such as Next is nothing short of incredible,” said Bassel Al Nahloui, VP of Business Development and Government Relations, Careem.
“Our self-driving pods are currently in the R&D phase and within a year we will be launching the test phase, whereby fully functional prototypes will be tested in restricted areas.”
Careem, which started its operation in 2012, has recently been in the news for making big efforts to make public transportation more convenient. They have signed an agreement with RTA to make public taxis accessible through their app.
“We have invented the world’s finest autonomous mass transit solution, and as we look to operationalise, we need a partner that will provide operational depth and scale. Careem is a perfect partner from our perspective given their vision, credibility and success in transforming transportation across the Mena region,” said Emmanuele Spera, founder and CEO, Next Future Transportation. “We look forward to continuing our journey to bring advanced transportation technologies and practices to the region.”