A fleet of five electrical cars have mapped out the roads of Dubai to help drive forward ambitious plans for the roll-out of autonomous public transport in the emirate later this year.
The Chevrolet Bolt vehicles were deployed in the Jumeirah 1 to test technology and gather data on traffic signals, signage and drivers' behaviour.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has entered into a public-private partnership with US company Cruise to oversee the introduction of self-driving taxis.
Cruise’s technology uses a high-resolution map of the physical environment, which is created using mapping vehicles equipped with sensors including Lidar (Light detection and ranging) and cameras.
"RTA and Cruise, a self-driving technology company, initiated data collection and testing technology for Dubai’s traffic signals, signage, and drivers’ behaviour among other attributes using five Chevy Bolt-based autonomous vehicles in Jumeirah 1 area.
Boosting self-driving ambitions
"This step is part of RTA's strategy aimed at bolstering Dubai's global leadership in self-driving transport and fostering the emirate's aspirations of becoming the world's smartest city," said the RTA in a message on social media, accompanied by a video showing the five cars touring the streets of Dubai.
"Such an endeavour, necessitating investment in smart mobility and the application of advanced technologies, aligns with RTA's commitment to enhance the well-being and safety of citizens, residents and visitors."
The vehicles, equipped with sensors and cameras, were driven by specialist drivers in order to collect data, which is then used to create and maintain a navigable map for autonomous vehicles.
The transport authority previously heralded the deal with a Cruise as a major step in its goal to integrate self-driving transport on to the emirate's road network.
"The agreement, which is the first of its kind worldwide between a government entity and a leading company in the field of autonomous vehicles, is a major step towards realising Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy," said the RTA on Twitter in July.
Ten automated taxis are expected to begin to carry passengers in late 2023.
The launch of driverless taxis is part of a long-term vision to make 25 per cent of total trips autonomous across various modes of transport by 2030.
In March last year, the RTA announced plans to begin the testing of driverless taxis as part of the partnership with Cruise, the majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary of General Motors, which would initially have 10 vehicles in operation.
Cruise agreed to launch its first international robotaxi service outside the US in Dubai, in a deal announced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, on Twitter in April 2021.
“Dubai will be the first outside America to operate self-driving Cruise vehicles, in fulfilment of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision that Dubai is always in first place and the best city to live and work,” Sheikh Hamdan said at the time.
“Our goal is to convert 25 per cent of the total ... trips in Dubai to self-driving trips through various means of transport by 2030.”
The RTA said it would complete rigorous testing before that launch to ensure the taxis are prepared for the hectic driving styles of some motorists in the UAE.
It is hoped wider adoption of autonomous vehicles will greatly reduce road accidents.
By 2030, it is expected that 4,000 driverless taxis will be in operation in Dubai.
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Brief scores
Toss India, chose to bat
India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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