UAE government steps up initiatives to boost sustainable transport

Recent government initiatives aimed at reducing transport carbon emissions and transforming transportation to intelligent and autonomous modes has thrown the spotlight on the UAE to be one of the best countries in the world, as the countdown begins to the 3rd International Conference on Future Mobility in Dubai.

The UAE has already seen a series of announcements from various government entities towards achieving the goals outlined in the national agenda of the UAE Vision 2021, and Dubai’s Autonomous Transportation Strategy.

With electric vehicles standards and regulations now in place and with autonomous driving becoming a core component of future mobility, the UAE’s federal standardisation governing body, the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), launched in August 2017 a project to develop a draft of the technical regulations that includes safety requirements and specifications for self-driving vehicles.

ESMA will present the project at the 3rd International Conference on Future Mobility (ICFM), which takes place from 7-8 November 2017 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Dubai. 

ESMA has formed a team of strategic partners that includes the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), the Dubai Police, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and other partners from federal and local authorities to participate in drafting and discussing the draft.

H.E. Abdulla Al Maeeni, the Director General of ESMA said: “Automotive manufacturers and OEMs are continually in a quest to evolve their offerings with advanced technology – from high speed connectivity in the car, to more sustainable and environment friendly technology, to new models of car usage and ownership, and fully autonomous driving.

“Innovations are revolutionising global transport sector and to meet the demands, experts from across the industry including automotive manufacturers, application developers, telecommunication companies, supporting infrastructure and solution providers, and relevant government authorities are working together to achieve a shared vision.

“The UAE has always been at the forefront of adopting new technologies and the UAE government has always been supportive of new innovations. With the vision of our leaders for a smart and sustainable future, the UAE is striving towards achieving excellence and innovation in all walks of life – transportation being a key element of it.

“This year, with a sharp focus on the theme ‘Towards Sustainable and Intelligent Mobility’, the 3rd International Conference on Future Mobility is set to be a unique platform for industry leaders to get together and lay foundations for the next growth and market adaptation phase for smart, sustainable and connected transport in the region,” stated Al Maeeni.

Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East and hosted by the ESMA, the 3rd ICFM is a two-day conference and exhibition that will discuss and analyse the future of transportation in the region and how smart, sustainable and intelligent vehicles will play a key role in both public and private transport in the smart cities of the future.

An expert panel of more than 35 speakers will be complemented by a stellar line-up of eco-friendly and autonomous vehicles on show from major manufactures such as Tesla, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Volvo, BMW, Cadillac, Kia, Renault and Mercedes-Benz.

More than 350 international and regional delegates are expected to attend, representing manufacturers, government authorities, telecommunications, utilities, distributors, industry analysts, and environment ministries.

The conference provides a platform for manufacturers, regional distributors and solution providers to interact with  key officials in charge of standardisation and regulation along with other relevant government authorities to understand the various initiatives designed to generate market demand for eco-friendly, intelligent and autonomous transport.

It will also enhance the means by which various industry stakeholders can support each other in realising the formation of a smart, connected and sustainable future in the transport sector in the region.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) the 3rd ICFM’s Strategic Partner, said: “Recognising the importance of sustainable urban development, ESMA has taken a proactive role in shaping the future of our cities.  The 3rd International Future Mobility Conference is aligning the realms of transportation and user mobility under a common framework of innovation and sustainability.

“It became a platform through which technologies can be observed in practice, and where government authorities can share their views about challenges and opportunities in urban transportation. By bringing together committed authorities, regulators, mobility experts, innovators and academia, we are making another confident step towards a smart and sustainable urban future,” added Sulayem.

Ahmed Pauwels, the CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, added: “The UAE has been at the forefront developing alternate modes of mobility with sustainable technologies, prioritising the transformation of current mass transport modes into more efficient and intelligent systems.

“Ten per cent of newly-purchased cars by government organisations will be electric or hybrid from 2016 to 2020, supporting the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy to cut carbon emissions by 16 per cent by 2021.

“A future step is to bring consumers on-board, and to bring together key stakeholders that can make future mobility and intelligent transport systems a reality. The ICFM has made great strides toward that end and continues to provide delegates and government representatives an unmatched opportunity to meet and interact with leading international experts in the field and gain valuable learnings about the latest technological developments that are driving the industry,” he added.

Last month a raft of consumer incentives to adopt electric vehicles were announced by the Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) under the auspices of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy which included free parking spots and Salik tags, and exemption from vehicle registration and renewal fees.

The RTA has also endorsed a contract for procuring 554 environment-friendly hybrid vehicles and has already deployed 50 electric vehicles to Dubai Taxi Corporation’s limousine fleet, as part of a 200-car deal signed with Tesla in February.

The vehicles are fitted with several self-driving components, and represent a significant step toward the Dubai Smart Autonomous Mobility Strategy that aims to convert 25 per cent of total journeys in Dubai into driverless journeys by 2030.