Dh11 Million Prize: Dubai To Announce Winner Of Self-Driving Transport Challenge

The race to shape the future of mobility in Dubai reaches its finish line this Wednesday, as the Roads and Transport Authority announces the $3 million winners of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport.

The announcement will be made on the opening day of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from September 24 to 25. As reported by Khaleej Times earlier in May, the winner of this challenge will walk away with Dh11 million ($3 million).

Four international consortia and one company specialising in smart mobility solutions have entered the final round of the challenge after a series of field tests conducted in the companies' respective countries.

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The companies are: WeRide and Desutche Bahn (China and Germany), BrightDrive, AlpLab, Shiptec, and SeaBubbles (Switzerland, France, the UAE, and Austra), Orcauboat, PIKMOVING, and Heriot-Watt University Dubai (China and the UAE), SURAA and Arti (Austria), and Zelos Technology (Singapore and China).

The main aims of the Challenge for Self-Driving Transport are to expand the adoption of self-driving transport at all levels and to encourage leading mobility companies to come up with solutions to pressing challenges. These include first-and-last mile connectivity - which refers to the accessibility of the initial and final segments of a trip to and from public transport, traffic congestion, and the limited usage of public transport.

The participants for this challenge underwent various evaluations on their performance, including technical review, testing readiness, field trials, preparation of preliminary business plans, commercial viability, and operations and service delivery.

RTA said initiatives like this not only spotlight Dubai as a hub for transport innovation but also bring the city closer to its vision of becoming a global leader in self-driving mobility. Self-driving mobility has become a cornerstone of its transport strategy, with a broader goal of transforming 25 per cent of all journeys in Dubai into self-driving trips by 2030.

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