Ajman - Earlier, in 2018, a self-driving bus was launched in Abu Dhabi.
Published: Tue 19 Feb 2019, 4:44 PM
Last updated: Tue 19 Feb 2019, 9:39 PM
The trial run of Ajman Municipality’s first self-driving bus was carried out by the Ajman X Center in cooperation with Ajman Public Transport Corporation (APTC) at Ajman Corniche. The bus has been launched as part of a project aimed at charting the future course of the emirate.
Also read: Masdar presents future of self-driving e-vehicle in UAE
Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Numaimi, chairman of Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, said the emirate of Ajman can now boast of being among cities that employ artificial intelligence technologies in different aspects of life. “We believe in harnessing new innovations and improve the quality of life of the people in the emirate.
We are also keen to attract visitors, tourists, and investors from all parts of the world,” he pointed out. He explained that the new project enables public transport buses to use self-driving techniques while integrating artificial intelligence and the internet to fully control the vehicle without any human intervention. “The self-driving bus project offers a lot of advantages to the transportation sector in the emirate and develop it for the future,” he added.
Sheikh Rashid pointed out that the municipality is keen to support all government departments with innovative projects that provide the best services to the customers.
Noura Al Nuaimi, director of Ajman X Center of Ajman Municipality, said that the team comprising officials from Ajman Center X, Roads and Infrastructure Department, Ajman Police General Command, APTC, and DJ Ward ramped up efforts to ensure that the first self-driving bus was rolled out today for its trial run on the streets of emirate. They took up the challenge to launch the first phase of the project in Corniche area, Al Nuaimi said.
The self-driving bus plan is one of the 32 projects included in Ajman Future Series. As part of it, the Ajman X Center has proposed four projects of artificial intelligence, robotics, drones and self-driving vehicles.
The first responder vehicle, recently launched by the center, has contributed in enhancing prompt response by the civil defence and the police. The vehicle has the ability to quickly identify the location, respond to the case and analyse the problem using artificial intelligence while dealing with it in record time.
The self-driving vehicle project is the future of transportation and has the potential to boost local tourism, give residents and visitors the opportunity to feel a whole new experience and showcase a bright image of Ajman which is moving steadily towards the future as it embraces modern technologies, Al Nuaimi said.
She added that the new projects — including the self-driving bus project — are a great way to pave Ajman’s future path. Omar Lootah, chief operating officer, APTC, said: The self-driving bus — launched by Ajman Municipality — uses cameras and sensors to detect obstacles and can even scan traffic lights. The first bus will start its operation soon.
There are plans to increase the number of buses in the future to support public transport system and enhance transportation services in the emirate, he added.
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