Dubai: Dubai motorists who have a breakdown will soon be able to request assistance through a smart app.

From March, drivers who send their coordinates through the new app will soon find the nearest available recovery vehicle dispatched to their location, the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Saturday.

The app is set to be rolled out in cooperation between the RTA’s Dubai Taxi Corporation and the breakdown service firm Arabian Automobile Association (AAA).

Service options to broken-down cars will include vehicle towing, 10 litres of fuel, tyre repair, simple mechanical faults such as a drained battery, and opening locked doors.

“The app will help facilitate the traffic movement and alleviate traffic bottlenecks on main roads and highways due to accidents and vehicle breakdown,” said AAA chairman Mohammad Bin Sulayem.

“Through this technology, the motorist would not be obliged to wait for long,” he added.

Motorists will also be able to track the movement of the recovery vehicle on its way.

The Dubai Taxi Corporation’s move “aims to turn the car recovery business into a digital platform”, he added.

Dubai Taxi Corporation chief executive Yousuf Mohammad Al Ali said his firm was in “constant pursuit of distinctive initiatives that meet the needs of Dubai visitors and residents”.

The app, which is expected to work on all smartphones, is intended to help the RTA achieve its goal of reducing accidents and increasing traffic safety.