Dubai charted a smart, carbon-free and green future transportation system as the fourth edition of the World Mobility Congress opened at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Wednesday.
Placing self-driving mobility as a cornerstone of Dubai’s transport strategy to make Dubai a sustainable city of the future, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said that Dubai is investing heavily in infrastructure and renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and support the transformation. In his keynote address on Smart Mobility and Clean Energy: Shaping Dubai’s Sustainable Future he said that the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is at the heart of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.
“Complementing these efforts, more than 8,600 buildings in Dubai are now powered by solar energy,” he said. DEWA has earmarked AED 7 billion to boost automation while enhancing water and electricity capacity. To meet the growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) the authority has installed more than 1,500 green charging ports and supplied 42,000 megawatts of electricity since 2015. Today, more than 41,000 EVs are registered in Dubai. “In the future, we will continue to support advanced technologies, sustainability, and our AI strategy to shape a city without carbon,” Al Tayer added.
Dubai’s mobility roadmap
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, welcomed delegates and participants, stressing that the Congress reflects the vision of Dubai’s leadership to transform 25 percent of all journeys in the city into self-driving trips by 2030.
“Hosting this Congress and the Challenge marks a significant milestone in Dubai’s journey to lead the future of smart mobility and reinforce its position as a global hub for innovation,” he said.
Sol Rashidi, the world’s first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer while delivering the opening keynote session said that 74-88 percent of all AI projects are being cancelled, stalled or not proceeding past proof of concept. “They are not making it into production,” she said.
Running alongside the Congress is an exhibition featuring more than 50 global companies, including Baidu Apollo International, DEWA, Pony.ai, Tensor, Uber, and Space42. Among the self-driving vehicles scheduled to be deployed in Dubai by 2026 is the WeRide Robobus that won the challenge.
