Ras Al Khaimah To Test Driverless Cars In Real-World Environments For Potential Use

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Driverless cars will be tested at Mina, a waterfront development in Ras Al Khaimah, as part of plans to assess how autonomous vehicles perform in real-world environments before their potential introduction for wider use.

The Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) has signed a partnership agreement with RAK Properties to conduct autonomous vehicle trials at Mina. The agreement was signed during the launch of Ras Al Khaimah's Autonomous Mobility Framework and Autonomous Vehicle Sandbox initiative.

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The launch took place in the presence of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and was attended by government officials, representatives of autonomous mobility companies, and academic and research institutions.

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Under the agreement, autonomous vehicles will be tested in residential communities and mixed-use developments within Mina to assess their performance in everyday operating conditions.

The trials will help authorities understand how driverless vehicles operate in different urban environments, identify potential challenges and determine what is needed before the technology can be introduced for practical use.

Safety will be a key consideration, with the testing conducted in accordance with approved technical and regulatory requirements and the specific conditions of each location.

The agreement was signed by Esmaeel Hasan Al Blooshi, Director General of RAKTA, and Sameh Muhtadi, Chief Executive Officer of RAK Properties.

Al Blooshi said testing autonomous vehicles in real-world environments is an important step towards understanding whether the technology is ready for practical deployment.

He explained that working with real estate developers would allow the authority to assess autonomous mobility solutions across different urban settings rather than relying solely on controlled testing environments.

Such partnerships would also help identify potential future applications of the technology while ensuring that safety requirements and the characteristics of each operating environment are taken into account.

Al Blooshi added that RAKTA would continue working with its partners to expand opportunities for testing advanced mobility solutions and evaluating their performance under actual operating conditions.

Meanwhile, Muhtadi said the initiative would allow the developer to observe and assess how the latest autonomous transport technologies perform within Mina's growing urban environment.

"Working together with our close partners at RAKTA for the Autonomous Vehicle Sandbox initiative is a unique opportunity to observe, monitor, and stress-test the very latest transport solutions as they are deployed across Mina's expanding urban environment," he said.

He added that the Mina masterplan was being developed to meet the needs of residents and visitors, with new technologies expected to play a role in improving accessibility and convenience.

"In today's fast-moving world, this means integrating with the newest technologies and developing the best services and future applications that will support people's daily lives by making mobility more convenient and accessible than ever," Muhtadi said.

The initiative forms part of Ras Al Khaimah's efforts to explore advanced transport technologies and assess how autonomous mobility could be integrated into future urban developments.

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