DUBAI TO DEPLOY SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES IN EMIRATE FROM 2023

Mon 12 April 2021:

Dubai has signed an agreement with General Motors Co’s majority-owned Cruise self-driving car subsidiary to operate its autonomous vehicles in Dubai starting in 2023, Reuters reported the emirate’s crown prince announcing today.

The self-driving fleet will reach 4,000 vehicles by 2030, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum said on Twitter, adding that Dubai would be the first location outside the United States to operate self-driving vehicles.

This #FullyAutonomousFriday is so smooth, you may have to watch it twice. Watch our AV nudge around an open car door. It’s subtle, smart, human-like driving. pic.twitter.com/nCPmGEPNGD

— cruise (@Cruise) April 2, 2021

Cruise and GM executives have said Cruise will launch its commercial service first in the startup’s hometown of San Francisco, before expanding elsewhere. The company on Monday did not say when it plans to launch its rides for hire service in San Francisco, saying that will depend on when the company’s automated vehicles are deemed safe.

Our AV, Crumpet, isn’t phased by the steep grade and seven back-to-back turns on Vermont Street.

Watch her drive like a local. #FullyAutonomousFriday pic.twitter.com/WpttFuHf77

— cruise (@Cruise) March 12, 2021

By 2030, Dubai aims to cut transportation costs by 900 million dirhams ($245 million) annually and save 1.5 billion dirhams ($0.4 billion) in reducing environmental pollution by 12 per cent per year, while generating 18 billion dirhams ($4.9 billion) annually in economic revenues by making the transport sector more efficient, Sheikh Hamdan said.