H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, recently participated in the inaugural demonstration ride of the Cruise autonomous vehicle, based on the Chevrolet Bolt.
This testing and validation of autonomous vehicles represent a significant stride towards the launch of a self-driving ride-hailing service in Dubai. In April 2021, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise, a company majority-owned by General Motors (GM), announced their partnership, designating Dubai as the first international market for Cruise.
“For the first time outside of the US, Dubai has conducted the first-ever demo test ride of an autonomous electric Chevrolet Bolt, in Jumierah 1. As part of Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, we’re gearing up to launch our self-driving ride-hail service for the public in 2024. This demo test drive is a key milestone in Dubai’s journey to make 25 percent of all mobility journeys self-driving by 2030 and establish the city as a global pioneer in public transportation and autonomous mobility. Yet again, Dubai has taken another exciting step towards the future” wrote Sheikh Hamdan on his LinkedIn profile.
Upon arriving in Jumeirah 1, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan was welcomed by key figures, including Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, and Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police. Also present were Jack Uppal, President and Managing Director of GM Africa Middle East, and Todd Brugger, Vice President of Global Market at Cruise, along with a team of engineers from RTA and Cruise.
Mattar Al Tayer briefed Sheikh Hamdan on the progress of the autonomous vehicle operation project, which originated from the collaboration between RTA and Cruise. An agreement for the introduction of ride-hailing services with Cruise AVs in Dubai was signed, and in April 2023, digital mapping preparations for self-driving Cruise vehicles in Jumeirah 1 began.
This involved the use of Cruise’s HD mapping technology, employing specially equipped mapping vehicles with an array of sensors, including lidars, ranging devices, cameras, and more. Limited testing with five autonomous vehicles accompanied by safety drivers commenced in October, leading to the recent demo ride attended by Sheikh Hamdan.
Following the demo ride, Cruise will continue conducting demo rides with safety drivers for key stakeholders in Jumeirah. The RTA plans to announce a registration process for selected members of the public to use the Cruise ride-hailing app and experience the futuristic services of Cruise Autonomous transport technologies.
