UAE: Driverless cars to transport passengers for free

UAE: Driverless cars to transport passengers for free

Driverless vehicles will transport passengers in Abu Dhabi for free as the UAE Capital trials the technology later this year.

Self-driving vehicles will be piloted in two phases.

The first phase includes three vehicles operating in the main area of Yas Island in the pick-up and drop-off points for hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and offices. The second phase includes more than 10 vehicles in multiple locations across Abu Dhabi.

The service will be free of cost in both phases, and will be provided from 8am to 8pm. A safety officer will be present in the driving seat "to facilitate the operation and intervene in the event of any sudden occurrence to ensure the highest security and safety standards".

Autonomous vehicles are able to sense the surrounding environment and navigate without human intervention, and rely on mapping algorithms and data obtained from multiple built-in sensors to determine the path of the road. Typical sensors include technical systems similar to radars, and a stereoscopic vision system, Geographic Positioning System (GPS), Optical Object Recognition System, and Real-time Positioning System.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has signed a cooperation agreement with Bayanat, a G42 company,