https://www.khaleejtimes.com/ :Dubai has begun testing a new transport system featuring driverless electric pods that can carry up to six passengers, travel at speeds of up to 50km/h and operate on dedicated routes away from regular traffic.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched a four-week trial of the Dubai Glydways automated transit system at Bluewaters on Sunday, October 11. The artificial intelligence-powered vehicles are designed to offer direct, on-demand journeys, allowing passengers to travel from one point to another without having to follow fixed departure schedules.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, marked the launch by taking a five-minute ride in one of the autonomous pods along a designated route at Bluewaters.

The system uses small electric vehicles that travel on narrow, dedicated guideways, which can be built at ground level or elevated. Each pod accommodates four to six passengers and can travel up to 250km on a single battery charge.

Unlike conventional public transport, the Glydways system is designed to operate around the clock, with vehicles available on demand. Passengers can also personalise the air conditioning and entertainment inside their pods.

 How the system works
The driverless vehicles use a combination of artificial intelligence, sensors, radar and cameras to navigate their routes without human drivers.

Each pod is equipped with 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors, alongside radar and high-definition cameras, which continuously monitor the surrounding environment and help manage vehicle movements.

The system can virtually link more than 10 vehicles, with intervals of less than one second between them, allowing large numbers of passengers to be transported efficiently.

RTA said the system is designed to carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions, combining the convenience of small vehicles with the passenger capacity of mass transit networks.

It also offers potential cost savings, with capital costs up to 90 per cent lower and operating costs up to 70 per cent lower than comparable transport systems, according to the authority.

 What will the trial test?
The four-week trial at Bluewaters will assess how the autonomous vehicles perform in an operational environment, with particular attention to safety, reliability and passenger experience.

Tests will cover autonomous driving, sensing, communication and control systems. RTA will also measure journey times, ease of use and how efficiently the vehicles move along the designated route.

The findings will help the authority evaluate the system’s readiness and potential for wider deployment.

“RTA is committed to transforming promising innovations and technologies in the transport sector into practical applications, and to testing and evaluating them within Dubai’s urban environment,” Al Tayer said.

Before taking his ride, Al Tayer attended a presentation on the system alongside Glydways founder and Co-CEO Mark Seeger and Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer Blake Barber.

He also reviewed the control centre, where he was briefed on how vehicles are monitored and managed along the dedicated guideways, as well as the technologies used to ensure safe operations.

The trial follows a cooperation agreement between RTA and Glydways to develop Dubai’s first automated transit network programme of its kind. It is being conducted in partnership with Dubai Holding, which is supporting the preparation of the testing environment, infrastructure and operations at Bluewaters.