Future of UAE mobility: preparing infrastructure for next-gen vehicles.

• Position: United Arab Emirates

Dubai has one of the most progressive autonomous vehicles strategy in place. It aims to transform 25 per cent of total transportation in Dubai to autonomous mode by 2030. Expectations are that autonomous mobility will create a revenue of Dh22 billion as it will reduce transportation cost by 44 per cent, saving Dh99 million a year and reduce environmental pollution by 12 per cent with a saving of up to Dh1.5 billion a year. The strategy aims to reduce accidents by 12 per cent, which is equivalent to Dh2 billion every year.

Self-driving cars have the potential in the future to reduce deaths and injuries from car crashes, particularly those that result from driver distraction. It will reduce traffic congestion which will result in a reduction of CO2 emissions as well. Even a small percentage of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the road can reduce the total fuel consumption by up to 40 per cent. AVs could potentially supplement public transport and cut travel time for commuters. It will also reduce demands for street and lot parking.

But what are the challenges in getting there? Even though...