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A delegation from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has met with specialists in research & production centers as well as public & private entities in the United States and the United Kingdom during visits to these two countries. The visits were part of efforts to develop Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy involving self-driving vehicles of the RTA.
Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Licensing Agency cum Chair of Smart Vehicles Committee, said, “The visit was part of the driverless vehicles project plan endorsed by the RTA following the launch of a strategy by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Strategy envisages the transformation of 25% of mobility journeys in Dubai to driverless vehicles by 2030.
“The visits aimed at reviewing the best practices relating to the key pillars of the Autonomous Transportation Strategy such as legislations, supporting technology, and incubators of tests on driverless vehicles.
“During the visits the delegation held meetings and made field visits to government bodies in both countries. In the USA, the delegation met a team associated with California Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology Program at the Transportation Research Institute, University of California. The Institute had been compiling studies & researches over three decades in collaboration with Caltrans. Discussions covered the best deliverables of the program in terms of researches and applications with the team comprising experts and academicians in this line of study.
The delegation also visited the premises of Tesla Company, the producer of premium electric vehicles. Touring the manufacturing facilities, the delegation was acquainted with robots used in manufacturing and production processes, and held a meeting with the team concerned with the development of driverless vehicles.
The delegation concluded its visit to America by visiting Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to familiarize with the best practices adopted in its GoMentum facilities, which provides a real-life environment for trials on connected and driverless vehicles in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers and suppliers of relevant technological solutions.
The delegation also reviewed the solutions of CCTA in applications of driverless vehicles towards sorting out the transportation snarls in California such as the first & final mile solution apps related to the bridging of gaps in integrated transportation.
In the UK, the delegation visited the premises of Digital Greenwich; the UK entity concerned with the implementation of the smart city strategy in partnership with the private sector. The delegation reviewed the projects and initiatives undertaken in the field of autonomous vehicles.
The delegation also reviewed Gateway vehicles project involving tests on solutions for bridging the integration of transportation systems in the UK. The delegation was also briefed on the studies underway undertaken by public and private entities as well as legislations & insurance issues relating to driverless vehicles.
The delegation concluded its visit to the UK by visiting Transport for London where it was acquainted with the strategies and laws of the Authority as regards the running of tests and licensing of driverless vehicles.
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