Motor into the future with the introduction of driverless cars in the UAE
Speed into a future of autonomous transportation! Remarkably, the UAE has plans to make self-driving vehicles mainstream as early as 2030. Automation currently a buzzword throughout the UAE and with good reason, especially considering it won’t be long before driverless taxis are a common sight! Let’s find out more about driverless cars in the UAE.
DRIVERLESS CARS IN DUBAI
RTA AND GENERAL MOTORS-CRUISE DEAL
To kickstart the driverless cars in Dubai program, ‘Cruise’, a company backed by the Road and Transportation Authority (RTA) and General Motors, signed a deal committing to rolling out self-steering cars on Dubai’s roads by 2030. The RTA deal with Cruise is in line with Dubai’s pledge to convert 25% of trips in the city to self-driving transport by 2030.
The initiative is a part of RTA’s Self-Driving Transport (SDT) program that aims to make transport in Dubai smart and driverless.
DRIVERLESS CARS IN ABU DHABI
Just like Dubai, the Abu Dhabi government also aims to introduce self-driving vehicles. According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, driverless cars in Abu Dhabi will transport passengers for free in early trials expected to start by the end of 2021.
The project will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, Yas Island will be the main area for trials with pick-up and drop-up points. These points will be used to transport passengers to and from hotels, shopping malls and offices. Initially, three driverless vehicles will operate on Yas Island. Whereas in the second phase more than 10 self-driving vehicles in Abu Dhabi will run trials in various parts of the capital city.
If you’re wondering about “what are the charges for self-driving cars in Abu Dhabi?” The good news is that the trials in Abu Dhabi are free of cost in both phases.
The timings for trials are from 08:00 am to 08:00 pm. Although the vehicles are driverless, a safety officer will be present in the driver’s seat.
BENEFITS OF DRIVERLESS CARS IN THE UAE
There are several benefits to introducing self-driving cars in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. Self-driving vehicles are eco-friendly. These cars rely on electric motors and batteries, so they aren’t heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
As the vehicle isn’t running on fossil fuels, it leads to reduced emissions and cleaner air within Dubai. Self-driving transport in Dubai can also improve highway safety, reduce parking costs, lower mobility costs, improve productivity and increase quality of life for citizens of the UAE.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE THE TIMINGS OF THE DRIVERLESS CAR TRIALS IN ABU DHABI?
The trial timings for self-driving cars in Abu Dhabi will be from 08:00 am to 08:00 pm.
WHEN TO EXPECT SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES IN DUBAI?
Self-driving cars in Dubai are expected to be on the road by 2030.
That’s all for our guide to driverless cars in the UAE. Initially, Dubai and Abu Dhabi will run vehicles on trial and a full-on rollout is expected by 2030. The UAE is not new to innovative transportation methods. The Dubai Metro and Palm Monorails are driverless public transport systems that have long since been operational.
The UAE has a sophisticated public transport system. Some of the innovative upcoming transport projects in the UAE include Skypods and the Hyperloop. These projects will ensure swift and safe transport for citizens. As more and more residents convert to green energy, the popularity of electric cars in the UAE is also growing exponentially.
