Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has revealed that the number of self-driving vehicles registered in the emirate has risen to more than 160, as part of the Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy, within plans to reach 4,000 vehicles by 2030.
The RTA is currently conducting tests for these vehicles on highways in three lanes on Emirates Road E611 opposite Al Maktoum Airport and the Al Maktoum Airport tunnel, which began last Monday and will continue until next Saturday, as part of its efforts to expand its operation and verify its ability to handle real-world driving conditions.
The authority confirmed that the journeys undertaken by these vehicles during the past period did not record any significant challenges, after subjecting them to tests and scenarios simulating sudden traffic situations, including ‘children and pedestrians crossing in front of them’, ‘sudden stopping’, and ‘recognising traffic lights and signals from other vehicles’.
The RTA explained that advanced driving technologies give these vehicles the ability to monitor the road and its surroundings and respond to traffic situations without being affected by human factors, such as distraction, fatigue and excessive speed, which are attributed to about 95% of traffic accidents, thus enhancing the chances of reducing accidents related to these causes and supporting the safety of road users and the public’s confidence in these vehicles.
In detail, Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, confirmed that the emirate of Dubai continues to consolidate its global position as a leading centre for innovation and improving quality of life, noting that the Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy has already moved from the experimental phase to the actual operation phase for self-driving taxis.
He said in media statements: “Dubai has succeeded in moving self-driving taxis to become part of the daily lifestyle and a major driver for raising the quality of life in the emirate, as more than 160 self-driving vehicles have been registered in Dubai, including 70 vehicles already on the roads, specifically in the Jumeirah area, based on global strategic partnerships with companies such as WeRide and Apollo Go, with the service available to users through the Uber and Apollo Go applications.”
He explained that the vehicles have so far covered about four million kilometres without recording any significant challenges, stressing that the most important factor in adopting these technologies is the highest standards of safety and security, adding that “the causes of traffic accidents are due to 95% of human errors such as distraction, fatigue, and excessive speed, while self-driving technology contributes to eliminating these causes and is more efficient in this aspect, and we do not grant self-driving operating licenses to any company unless its vehicles have undergone strict tests and requirements that guarantee the highest standards of passenger safety and smooth journey.”
Regarding the role of the Dubai Mobility Labs, he explained that its main objective is to ensure the suitability of these vehicles for locally changing climatic conditions, such as high heat, humidity, and fog, and to train vehicle sensors to make the right decisions. He pointed out that the labs conduct accurate tests that include more than 248 diverse scenarios, such as sudden stopping or interacting with pedestrian and child crossings, and interacting with and reading traffic signals and vehicle signals on the roads.
The Director of the Transportation Systems Department affirmed that Dubai Mobility Labs not only serves the transportation sector, but also supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 by providing an incubator environment for startups and entrepreneurs, in addition to documenting research partnerships with more than seven strategic universities inside and outside the country, to develop artificial intelligence technologies, sensors, and communication between vehicles and traffic lights.
Regarding the features of the future of self-driving vehicles in the emirate, Adel Shakri said: “We have a clear and sustainable goal to have 25% of all mobility trips in Dubai be self-driving by 2030, and we aim to operate more than 4,000 self-driving vehicles within the taxi and limousine sectors by 2030. Dubai Mobility Labs will remain the first and main gateway for evaluating and testing the success of these vehicles and technologies in the future.”