Dubai will focus on seven modes of transportation, including rapid transport, water taxis, aerial taxis and shuttle buses.
In line with Dubai's vision to become one of the smartest cities in the world, the Roads and Transportation announced the creation of an international competition on self-driving vehicles at a press conference on Monday.
"Dubai is the first city to declare such an ambitious project for self-driving transportation (SDT)," said Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA's Licensing Agency and concurrent head of RTA's Smart Vehicles Committee. "This international competition will allow manufacturers, operators and universities around the world to showcase how advance these SDT technologies are and this (competition) will also assure the public that autonomous vehicles are safe."
Bahrozyan did not provide specific details of the competition yet but said: "Over the next few months we will formally announce this competition - what are the mechanics, who can enter and even the prizes."
He added that Dubai will focus on seven modes of transportation, including rapid transport, water taxis, aerial taxis, shuttle buses, and last mile solutions. "As of now we already have the Metro as a proof of an autonomous mode of transportation. We are also conducting ongoing tests of the autonomous shuttle bus in Business Bay area."
"As the technology evolves more and more, soon we can expect buses without drivers or steering wheels," added Bahrozyan at the press conference where the RTA also announced its five-year Smarty City Platform from 2017-2021.
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