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28 March 2024

RTA unveils Hyperloop design prototype

Published
By Wam

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has announced that the RTA would unveil the initial design of the Hyperloop, which will be exhibited for the first time in the world, in collaboration with Virgin Hyperloop One, as part of its participation during UAE Innovation Month.

The RTA will also exhibit several initiatives such as Autonomous Pods, High-Frequency Express Buses, and the Urban Mobility Innovation Index, UMii.

"The launch of these initiatives is in implementation of the directives of the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world. It is also part of RTA’s efforts to provide autonomous transport, which requires carrying out technological tests on these means under Dubai’s climatic conditions. It reflects RTA’s strategy to transform 25 percent of total journeys in Dubai into driverless transport using different means by 2030. The strategy is focused on integrating public transit means with people’s happiness through the provision of smooth, express and innovative mobility means that support the efforts of ranking the UAE among the top 20 countries in the UMii by 2021," Al Tayer said.

The Hyperloop is part of RTA’s initiatives for Dubai Future Accelerators. RTA and Virgin Hyperloop One Company have made considerable progress in the technical, engineering and economic feasibility study of the project. Progress made also included identifying the routes for operating the Hyperloop along with its initial design model, which will be exhibited for the first time in the world.

The Hyperloop boasts of deluxe interiors, cutting-edge broadcasting and display of information and entertainment materials as well as leather seats. The Hyperloop technology uses an electromagnetic propulsion system to accelerate the movement of goods and services through a vacuum tube. The system is designed to assist the levitation of the capsule slightly off the track within the tube and move it at speed up to 1200 km/hour. Accordingly, the Hyperloop can travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 12 minutes, and lift about 10,000 passengers per hour in both directions.

"When introduced in future, the Hyperloop technology will impact the town planning and the availability of parking spaces. It will revolutionise people mobility between various destinations in the city, logistical hubs like airports and ports, and shipping patterns," Al Tayer added.