Revealed: Finalists for $5.2m ‘Dubai World Self-Driving Transport Challenge’
Global firms, start-ups and universities in the running for best autonomous mobility
Dubai: The winners of ‘Dubai World Self-Driving Transport Challenge’ will be announced at the ‘Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport’ which starts on Tuesday. The finalists were revealed on Saturday by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The challenge attracted 65 global firms and academic institutions.
Five firms qualified for final tests: Navya, EasyMile and Gaussin from France, Westfield in the UK, and 2getthere from the Netherlands.
Three start-ups made their way to the finals: Sensible4 from Finland, Derq from the UAE, and IAuto from Taiwan.
Also, three global universities were selected: Freie Universität Berlin from Germany, Intelligent Systems Lab (LSI) from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain and University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Qualified local universities included Dubai University, UAE University, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, and Abu Dhabi University.
Prize money
The challenge has a prize money amounting to $5.2 million for wining companies, start-ups as well as local and international universities. $3 million is set for mega-companies, $1.5m for start-ups, and $600,000 for universities. Winners were selected by a team of international experts in the field of smart mobility according to a host of technical standards.
Under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, RTA will hold the congress on October 15 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
“Hosting the [congress] and the accompanying exhibition, for the first time in the Middle East, is part of RTA’s efforts to support the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy … by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The strategy aims to make 25 per cent of all trips in Dubai smart and driverless by 2030. It also enhances the leading role of Dubai in the self-driving transport field,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.
Dubai Congress
“The two-day gathering will host more than 80 global experts including five key speakers, and hold 40 lectures and 39 workshops. An exhibition will also be held on the sidelines of the congress where 50 specialist companies will showcase the latest technologies of the industry,” added Al Tayer.
In July, the qualifiers arrived in Dubai to collect geographical data about test tracks and draw maps, and in August vehicle tests started on the challenge route. Tests included stopping at bus stops, emergency stop, overtaking a bike, and dealing with various traffic scenarios such as signals, pedestrian crossing, road works, sand on road, negotiating a roundabout, handling of humps, rains and high-speed turns.