If you’re the proud owner of a classic car (or just an old banger), we’re sorry – it seems the Ministry of Interior is looking to cut down the number of aged vehicles around the UAE due to their pollution levels.

According to plans being considered, owners of cars more than 15 years old will have to pay increased fees in order to register them, as well as put their vehicles through more rigorous technical inspections.

HH Sheikh Seif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, told 7DAYS: “The aim is to reduce the number of cars on roads, pollution and accidents because it is mostly old vehicles that break down, causing problems.”

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The UAE has some of the highest levels of registered cars in the world, Sheikh Seif added, with the total amount of registered vehicles reaching 3.2 million, and 4.5 million registered drivers.

The ministry also plans to convert hundreds of vehicles in the police fleet to run on natural gas in an effort to reduce pollution.

This move to more eco-friendly alternatives would be keeping in line with Dubai Future Foundation’s plans for becoming the city of the future – with hopes of making 25 per cent of all vehicles on Dubai roads driverless by 2030.

Here’s a video showing what your Uber ride might look like in a few years:

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H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE, said that doing so would “reduce congestion and reduce pollution”.

This news also comes months after the RTA announced plans to turn half of Dubai’s taxi fleet into hybrid cars by 2021, reducing carbon emissions by 230,000 tonnes per year and saving Dhs170 million.

Back in 2008, UAE authorities attempted to issue a new rule banning 20-year-old vehicles from the roads – however, it was overturned by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

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Image: Getty