Dubai pedestrians were treated to a surprise glimpse into the future recently, with a sleek, driverless vehicle offering free lifts along Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard.
The vehicle was part of a public transport trial by the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The automated, 12-passenger shuttle bus carried passengers down a 700-metre stretch, between a stop opposite Dubai Opera and the Vida Downtown Dubai hotel.
Ahmed Bahrozyan, chief executive of RTA’s licensing agency, says hundreds of passengers filled out surveys assessing their confidence in the driverless experience.
“We’re looking for things like, when people use this shuttle bus, how confident are they in a vehicle that is being driven by itself; how confident are they that, in the future, these types of vehicles will actually be on the road, serving people?
The RTA also wanted to gauge whether people saw these systems as fads, or actual vehicles that will become mainstays in future mobility systems.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard was selected because the vehicle isn’t ready to navigate public roads or negotiate its way around other vehicles. The bus did, however, navigate around pedestrians and cyclists – using GPS and sensors to detect what speed it should travel at.
Bahrozyan says the width of the pavement and the relatively long 700-metre stretch made for a perfect testing ground. “Where there are restaurants, for example, it actually reduces speed. In areas where there are no restaurants, it increases speed.”
The current version of the vehicle, which has six seats and space for up to six more people to stand, has a maximum speed of 21kph. The trial vehicle spent most of its time going between 10kph and 20kph, but Easymile, a European partner in the project, is developing a newer model that will reach almost double that speed.
The vehicle’s sensors allows it to “be continuously aware of what’s happening around it at a radius of about 40 metres,” says Bahrozyan. However, the vehicle didn’t react to every object within this radius, he adds.
“As the object gets closer and gets within a vicinity of two metres in any direction, the vehicle has the ability to reduce speed, and obviously if it gets closer than that, it can stop as well. So it’s extremely safe – we’ve had no incidents at all to indicate anything other than it’s a very safe system.”
So far, he says, the driverless vehicle seems even “safer than having a human being sitting behind the wheel”.
The shuttle is fully electric, and while the same vehicle could operate for up to nine hours in cooler climates, the constant need for air conditioning in Dubai meant it had to be recharged every four hours. The RTA operated the vehicle daily from 6pm to 10pm, before taking it to an on-site charging station to get it ready for the next day.
“The weather was still a bit warm, so we didn’t have as many people as we would in the cooler months, but that is the time of day when you would expect more people to be there and that’s what we wanted people to experience,” says Bahrozyan.
Aside from the two main stops, there were two others in between “to give people a flavour of how these buses can operate without a driver”.
The RTA had an operator present at all times, but this was more as a precaution, Most of the operator’s time was spent answering questions and making sure the trial was running smoothly.
The Downtown Dubai trial followed two trials conducted in the Dubai World Trade Centre area, which also went well.
“The survey results from the previous trials were very impressive, and most of them were around 90 per cent or higher in terms of how confident people on-board such shuttle buses were that this is a safe mode of transport,” says Bahrozyan.
“Having achieved credibility in always being on top of things, from a technology point of view, there was a high level of confidence that Dubai Government would make this come to reality in the future.”
Participants also felt that driverless public transport would add to the experience of Dubai’s pedestrians.
The RTA is now in talks with various developers, assessing spaces that could be an appropriate fit for future trials.
“We have to find areas where the routes are relatively simple, just for us to get a feel for what the vehicle can do.”
As the march towards widespread driverless vehicles continues, the UAE is positioning itself to take full advantage of future technology.
In Abu Dhabi
Last month, Britain held its first public driverless vehicle test in Milton Keynes. Although driverless innovations are starting to gain traction all over the world, the UAE is already familiar with the technology.
In 2010, Masdar City captured the imagination when it began piloting its personal rapid transit (PRT) cars. While Masdar has scaled back on the project, Masdar Institute maintains a fleet of PRT cars.
These driverless vehicles transport visitors at speeds of up to 40kph using a complex navigation system that detects magnets installed in corridors, aided by sensors, and a wireless connection to a central computer.
The vehicles are being studied by the institute as part of its research into large-scale deployment of sustainable public transportation systems.
One of Abu Dhabi’s upcoming projects, announced in June, is the arrival of the SkyTran PRT system on Yas Island. SkyTran is a two-person vehicle that’s not only devoid of a driver, but also wheels. Instead, the floating pods will use magnetic levitation to achieve speeds of up to 241kph.
This system will give Yas Island a public transportation option that’s cheaper and more sustainable than traditional offerings. Miral, which manages Yas Island’s leisure attractions, says the SkyTran system will eventually connect multiple destinations, including Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Mohammed Abdulla Al Zaabi, chief executive of Miral, adds: “While we continue to build world-class destinations and expand Yas Island, it is imperative that we are able to implement an urban transportation solution, which is not only energy-efficient but also adds another level of excitement to our visitors’ experiences.”
halbustani@thenational.ae
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
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$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
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Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
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Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate