Dubai RTA inks 3 agreements to drive smart self-driving delivery solutions

By Arya M Nair, Official Reporter
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RTA Self-driving Car
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Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed three agreements at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport to develop technology-driven solutions for the transport and logistics sector.

The first agreement was signed between Careem and Kiwibot to develop food and grocery delivery robots. The second one was made between Majid Al Futtaim and Yandex to explore independent technology solutions to enhance the scope of the last-mile delivery of Carrefour orders.

The third agreement was between Noon, Neolix and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to provide self-driving logistical services within the RIT campus.

Mr. Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of the Executive Directors of RTA stressed that these deals will boost Dubai’s global profile in developing pioneering solutions for self-driving transport to deliver items to customers. It also endorses Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which seeks to convert 25 percent of Dubai’s total mobility activities to self-driving vehicles by 2030.

The deal between Careem and Kiwibot is a first-of-its-kind in the region, which will introduce robot delivery for food and grocery products across residential areas in Dubai.

Matar Mohammed Al Tayer
Matar Mohammed Al Tayer
Director-General and Chairman
RTA

“These agreements are part of Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport outcomes, which sets a global platform for companies, academia, and R&D centers to run case scenarios and introduce self-driving transport technologies in Dubai. It also contributes to broadening the use of autonomous transport means, and encouraging entities to tackle the existing challenges.”

Majid Al Futtaim, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia’s leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer, has announced a partnership with Yandex, one of Europe’s largest IT companies, to explore autonomous technology solutions for Carrefour’s last-mile delivery capabilities and to deliver orders using self-driving technology, which is set to launch by 2022.

The partnership supports Yandex’s autonomous vehicle technology, which can plot the safest route in real-time, detect approaching vehicles and pedestrians, and move at speed of up to 8 kilometers per hour on sidewalks. Customers will be also able to track its movement in real-time on the MAF Carrefour App. 

Related: Saudi, Oman ink MoUs to boost cooperation in transport sector

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