Abu Dhabi: The Dubai government is leading the change in the transportation sector with plans to make 25 per cent of transportation trips in the Emirate to be smart and driverless by 2030, said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of Roads and Transport Authority.
“We are focusing on several different modes including hyper loop, self-driving bus among others,” said Al Tayer while speaking on the future of transportation at the inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
“Future transportation is already in Dubai with self-driving shuttles being tried in Downtown Dubai and Jumeirah Beach Residences and due to a deployment of hybrid taxis which constitute 7.5 per cent of the total fleet of taxis.”
Self-driving transport will be widely deployed in the next five to ten years across the globe but it requires legislation and regulations, sustainable infrastructure and also cultural change among people to accept the new mode of transport, he said.
“In the next ten years, fifty per cent of cars will have self-driving features. Some private companies will invest more than $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) in developing this technology.”
Hyperloop, aerial drones, flying cars or taxis will require more than ten to fifteen years to develop, he added.
“Aerial personal transport will take even longer to enter the service as they are governed by international rules and regulations.”
“Governments must shape the future of transportation by having the right strategy including proper legislation, infrastructure, partnership with the private sector and also by creating awareness among people.”
Summit
More than 1,200 industry leaders and government representatives including ministers from some countries are participating in the four day manufacturing summit being held Paris-Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi.
On the opening day, UAE economy minister Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri outlined a vision for the manufacturing sector in the country and said they are trying to increase the contribution of the sector to 25 per cent of the total GDP by 2025.
The country is also aiming to attract $75 billion into the new manufacturing industrial sector by 2025, he said.
A joint initiative by the UAE Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and co-hosted with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Summit is held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
The Summit is the world’s first global gathering for the manufacturing community, bringing together decision-making leaders from governments, businesses and civil society organisations to shape a vision for the sector’s future.
In the first two days of the summit, local companies announced their partnerships with international giants like GE and Siemens to boost manufacturing in the UAE.
On Wednesday, Strata Manufacturing, owned by Mubadala Development Company unveiled plans for its second facility at Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park which is expected to be opened by 2020.
Khaldoon Mubarak, managing director and group chief executive officer of Mubadala and Mohammad Al Gergawi, minister of cabinet affairs and future will speak on the topic The Next Fifty Years on the final day of the summit on Thursday.
