Dubai is on track to launch a fleet of self-driving taxis later this year, following extensive testing of five Cruise-owned Chevrolet Bolts in the Jumeirah 1 area of the city. The vehicles have been busy collecting data on Dubai’s roads, familiarising themselves with signage, traffic signals and drivers’ behaviour, in preparation for the launch of the ride-hail service. A small fleet of robotaxis will be available to hire in the Jumeirah area by the end of the year. The vehicles will initially cover almost five miles of roads, with plans to expand the service further.
Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, is also testing in Tochigi, Japan in partnership with Honda, where the latter hopes to launch a Mobility as a Service business using a version of Cruise’s Origin.
See also: GM’s Cruise Reaches One Million Miles with Fully Driverless Vehicles
Dubai’s vision to accelerate the rollout of autonomous vehicles is driven by a desire to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce traffic accidents and lower harmful emissions. The successful launch of the self-driving taxi service is seen as a key milestone in the city’s quest for excellence in smart mobility and advanced technology.
#RTA and Cruise, a self-driving technology company, initiated data collection and testing technology for Dubai’s traffic signals, signage, and drivers’ behaviour among other attributes using five Chevy Bolt-based autonomous vehicles in Jumeirah 1 area.https://t.co/6pqh6VIL3f pic.twitter.com/YSTyrAwmXS
— RTA (@rta_dubai) April 5, 2023
According to the CEO of the Public Transport Agency at RTA, Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, the work currently being carried out is critical for the successful launch of the service. “Data collection and testing is a crucial phase in Dubai’s quest for excellence in smart mobility and advanced technology,” he said. “The work being done will ensure Cruise’s advanced generalizable AI and autonomous driving systems safely adapt to Dubai traffic conditions.”
See also: Dubai Sets Goal for 100% Electrified Taxi Fleet by 2027
Although pricing for the service has yet to be confirmed, it is expected to be similar to that of limousine taxis in Dubai, which are typically around 30% more expensive than regular cabs. The ultimate aim is for there to be 4,000 driverless cabs deployed in Dubai by 2030, with more robotaxis set to join the service in 2024.
Dubai will become the first city outside of the United States to commercialize Cruise’s self-driving cars, and is expected to pave the way for the adoption of autonomous vehicles in other cities around the world.
