Autonomous Vehicles To Hyperloop, Prospective Mode Of Future Transport For Dubai

Dubai illustration. (Nick Fewings / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has continued to grow and develop as one of the modern metropolitan areas in the world in the last few decades. Infrastructure development and public transportation networks are prioritized to support growth.

As important as public transport infrastructure and networks are, Dubai established the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority or RTA in 2005. It's not just a matter of building, but how it can be sustainable.

"Dubai is a city of about three million inhabitants, with about 20 million visitors every year. Our top priority (RTA), is ensuring that these people can move very safely, clearly, number one. But also a smooth and sustainable way as one unit, "said CEO of RTA Ahmed Bedrosian, launching Euronews.

In the past 15 years, Dubai's transportation network has grown to include metro and tram systems, buses, water taxis to ride services, including a fleet of electric cars. However, Dubai will not stop there.

Advanced technology

There are several modes of transportation that are being considered to be developed in Dubai. One of them is the development of Hyperloop, a high-speed mode of transportation that can cover thousands of kilometers in a short time.

Dubai Transportation Illustration (Clarissa Carbungco / Unsplash)

Through DP World which is based in Dubai, this mode of transportation is planned to be present in Dubai. Its value is multi million euros and its target is to be able to connect Dubai with Abu Dhabi in just 12 minutes from the original 1 hour.

"New technology is truly the backbone of our economy today. Electronic government, smart government, ports use all kinds of technology. And it suits us," said Hyperloop founder, founder and CEO of DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

"I am very happy and proud that we were actually able to put two people in the cabin and they were hovering at a speed of one hundred seventy-two kilometers per hour in the tunnel," he added.

He added that the beauty of the Hyperloop is that it connects two cities in a matter of minutes. According to him, Hyperloop sells time, things that cannot be bought that have been wasted due to congestion and limited transportation.

Virgin Hyperloop Alerts Hyperloop Trial. (Source: Virgin Hyperloop)

"There's a limit to how many metros you can make. Hyperloops are about selling people time. And one thing we can't buy in the world is time, and people don't want to be stuck in traffic for hours on end. And if they travel from city far, it takes a long time. The solution, Hyperloop, "said Sultan Ahmed.

Autonomous Vehicles

The size of Dubai's ambition for future transportation can be seen from the formation of the Dubai Future Council for Transportation, to prepare future mobility technology.

This institution aims to increase the use of public transportation and shared mobility. And targeting 25 percent of trips to be done in autonomous mode by 2030.

Hyperloop mode of transport. (Source: Virgin Hyperloop)

"You have to be a risk taker and be the first to adopt this kind of technology. Of course you need to take risk into account. But in the end, we have proven in the past that we are ready to take risks," said Bedrosian.

One of the possible factors to support this development according to Bedrosian is flexibility. Decision making in Dubai is carried out quickly, so that decision making or changes can be effective and efficient, especially in the technology sector.

"We conducted, for example, the first trials with an Autonomous Air Taxi in 2017. It also marks Dubai's goal to become one of the first cities in the world to have an autonomous air taxi service," he added.

The Roads and Transport Authority is also testing various driverless vehicle modes and autonomous solutions. In the near future, Dubai plans to implement a new cable rail system or sky pod to revolutionize city-wide travel.