Driverless Taxis in Dubai: Why You Can’t Book A Ride Just Yet…
As part of an unprecedented autonomous mobility initiative, self-driving vehicles are officially being tested in the Emirate of Dubai
In partnership with Cruise, the world’s leading autonomous vehicle company, the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA) has officially begun testing driverless taxis in the Jumeirah 1 area.
Inside Dubai’s Driverless Taxi Initiative
The partnership agreement’s primary commitment is to offer residents and tourists driverless taxi services in Dubai. The government of Dubai’s investment in smart and autonomous mobility – incorporating sophisticated state-of-the-art technologies – aligns with Cruise’s mission to ensure safe transportation within the Emirate. “While our driverless cars help make streets safer,” declares Cruise, “they also make people feel safer—safer to ride at any time, safer to ride to any neighborhood, safer to ride exactly as they are.”
Courtesy of @cruise
Such a partnership furthers the RTA’s overarching mission, which consists of “providing an advanced transport network for the people and prioritizes the initiatives to enhance the public transport facilities and improve roads across the emirate to make travel safer and smoother.” The driverless vehicle initiative in Dubai is also in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, according to which 25 per cent of trips are to be conducted autonomously by 2030.
Courtesy of @hhshkmohd
At present, the RTA is ensuring that the safety and performance requirements of Cruise‘s autonomous vehicles are met, taking into account important factors of the tested area such as traffic. Dubai is still in the early stages of testing driverless taxis, and in the interest of safety, the driver’s seat will not be empty as of yet.
This unprecedented initiative marks the issuance of the RTA’s first permit to test autonomous vehicles in Dubai, delivered to Cruise.
Driverless Taxis in Dubai: Can You Book A Ride?
Unfortunately, they’re not taking bookings just yet. While driverless taxis are currently being tested throughout Jumeriah 1, passengers will still need to book a normal RTA taxi when getting from Point A to B.
It’s also worth noting that during this testing phase, a “safety driver” will be present inside the vehicle and will be able to override the system if necessary.
When were driverless taxis invented? A short history of automated vehicles…
The first driverless taxis were invented in the late 1990s. In 1997, two pilot projects were started in the Netherlands, at Schiphol Airport and business park Rivium. Both carried members of the general public and as such claim stake to the title to the first driverless vehicles. The vehicles were autonomous, did not feature a steering wheel or pedals, nor did they have a safety driver or steward on board. They drove at grade, on a dedicated lane which did feature intersections with pedestrians, bicyclists and cars.
However, it was not until 2016 that the first driverless taxi service was launched for commercial use. Uber ATG began offering a limited service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, allowing users of its ride-hailing app to order a self-driving car from a fleet of modified Ford Fusions. The service was later expanded to San Francisco and Tempe, Arizona.
Other companies, such as Waymo and Cruise, have also developed driverless taxi services. In 2020, Waymo launched the first fully driverless taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona. The service is currently available in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Chandler, Arizona. Cruise launched its fully driverless taxi service in San Francisco in 2022.
Driverless taxis are still in their early stages of development, but they have the potential to revolutionize the transportation industry. They offer a number of advantages over traditional taxis, including:
- They are more convenient and reliable, as they can be summoned on demand and do not have to worry about traffic jams.
- They are safer, as they do not require a human driver and are less likely to be involved in accidents.
- They are more affordable, as they can operate with lower costs than traditional taxis.
As driverless taxi technology continues to develop, it is expected to become more widespread and accessible. This could have a significant impact on the way we travel and live.
For more information, please visit the RTA’s official website.