Self-driving taxis will be on Dubai roads in December 2023
25 per cent of mobility journeys in Dubai will be driverless by 2030…
Hailing a self-driving taxi in Dubai will be possible as soon as December 2023. The news was revealed by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) during the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport.
The launch of driverless taxis in Dubai is finally turning into a reality after years of planning and, in more recent updates, months of digital mapping. To ensure the safety of future passengers, the driverless taxis will be rolled out next month starting October 1 on the streets of Jumeirah 1 for testing. As this is still in the trial phase, no passengers will be allowed to travel in the taxis until the final safety testing phase is complete.
These self-driving vehicles are expected to significantly improve road safety levels as over 90 per cent of accidents are due to human errors. The vehicles are all-electric, environmentally friendly and capable of serving a wide range of clients from different community segments, including seniors and people of determination.
About the state-of-the-art driverless vehicles
The vehicles will be equipped with 80 sensors, cameras and LiDAR systems – light detection and ranging (laser scanning technology) to monitor road conditions, and controls to avoid collision with any objects – even those the human eye cannot see.
We can’t wait to see these driverless cars in action!
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And it’s not just taxis…
The transport authorities also announced a push for all transportation in Dubai to be 25 per cent autonomous by 2030.
Besides driverless taxis, we can also expect driverless buses on the streets. At the moment, further tests need to be done in order for the driverless bus service to be rolled out. Some of the tests include emergency lane shifting, navigating roundabouts, and more.
In Old Dubai at The Creek, the RTA is trialling operations of the ‘First Autonomous Electric Abra’ – so don’t be alarmed if you spot an abra without a captain. The abra has been designed in such a way that it doesn’t lose out on the abra’s charm or heritage.
Images: Supplied