Dubai’s government has plans to achieve 25% autonomous mobility by 2030. In this regard, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is playing a big role by replacing Dubai’s standard public transport with fully autonomous vehicles. Unlike other countries where private sectors are striving to promote autonomous mobility, the government bodies in Dubai have taken the task upon themselves. Matter Al Tayer (Director General and Chairman, RTA) has reassured that they are right on track to achieve Dubai Transportation Plan 2030.To accelerate the process, RTA is engaging the support of certain firms that make use of driverless technologies. Some of Dubai’s driverless vehicles that will help to achieve the objectives include full self-driving buses, metro, boats, trams, taxis and driverless cars.
Last year, we recorded 8.8% rides on the driverless metro. RTA hopes to exceed these journeys to 12.2% by 2030. Along with the metro, the Dubai Tram will be fully autonomous in future. Additionally, autonomous buses will cover 6.4% rides by 2030. This strategy is expected to produce Dh22 billion per year, cut transport expenditure by 44% and reduce parking demand by 50%.
Some of Dubai’s driverless vehicles including autonomous mini-buses, boasts and taxis are undergoing trials now-a-days. In association with EHANG (Chinese technology enterprise), RTA is examining an Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV), which will officially launch in July 2017. The aircraft possesses 8 propellers, can carry one passenger, and flies for 30 minutes at a speed of 100 km/h. Al Tayer believes the driverless technologies are yet to overcome the challenges of infrastructure, laws/legislations, safety and public acceptance.