AI Week is here and the future is now…
AI Week in Dubai is in full swing, and this week is all about exploring the future of AI and AI-powered living, and dedicated to driving global AI innovation. Here are five AI-powered systems that may soon be a normal part of our lives.
Driverless taxis
Driverless taxis have been on the horizon for a few years now. In 2021, an agreement was signed between the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise, a leading US-based autonomous vehicle company to operate self-driving taxis and ride-hailing services in the emirate. These self-driving vehicles are expected to significantly improve road safety levels, as over 90 per cent of accidents are due to human errors. The vehicles are all-electric, environmentally friendly, and capable of serving a wide range of clients from different community segments, including seniors and people of determination.
AI-powered traffic signals
This next-generation traffic signal control system (UTC-UX Fusion), incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and digital twin technologies. Features of the new system will include predictive traffic analysis to optimise signal timings in anticipation of expected traffic movements, digital twin technology, priority-based traffic management and greater efficiency. The project aims to improve travel time and reduce congestion by 10 to 20 per cent. The estimated time of implementation is the first-half of 2026.
Cloud seeding
Cloud seeding has been a thing in Dubai for a long time now, more and more in recent years as the volume of rain has gone up. The 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF) this past January saw a discussion on the use of AI in the cloud seeding process, and it could very much be a reality. During the discussion, weather experts explored AI’s potential to enhance both the forecasting of weather patterns and intervening in climatic conditions; as well as its role in predictive algorithm building and high-resolution cloud-scale modelling. Read more here.
Paying with your palm at Metro stations
We could be paying with our palms at Metro gates very soon, as RTA revealed earlier the possibility of a brand new technology that could be integrated into our public transport – palm scan gate access. This could our reality very soon, employing the tools of Artificial Intelligence and the virtual Metaverse. This whole mechanism will allow Metro users and commuters to move efficiently without the use of physical a Nol card, as this system will allow the person’s palm to be linked to the card.
Driverless pods
At Gitex Global 2024, Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled plans for another new way to get around town. The Floc Duo Rail is a self-driving, futuristic-looking electric pod rail system, and could become a hassle-free way to travel around Dubai. It will be able to operate both suspended in the air and on the ground and could help passengers get either from A to B, or be used to take multiple passengers from certain points to other transport networks, such as the Dubai Metro. Read more here.
Images: Socials
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