Volkswagen debuts self-driving car at Cityscape

Passengers can talk to Sedric about the destination, how to get there, the driving time, and the current traffic situation.

Volkswagen Group is showcasing its first concept car, that has been created for level 5 autonomous driving, at Cityscape Global in Dubai.
Dubbed 'Sedric' the car made its Middle East debut at the Dubai Land Department (DLD) stand at the exhibition. Designed and built in cooperation with the Future Center Europe of the Volkswagen Group in Potsdam and Volkswagen Group Research in Wolfsburg, the car does not require a human driver, and features an integrated mobility concept for the road traffic of the future.
"The concept focuses on future urban mobility," an official from Volkswagen Group told Khaleej Times. "We have envisioned a future where you don't have to be worried about commuting. The car will know your schedule; it will know when to pick you up for work; and it will know when to drop your kids off to school. The ultimate vision is for a city with a lot less cars."
"Sedric for us is the first step," he added. "We have come a long way, but the complexities of an urban environment mean that there is still a lot of work to be done."
When a passenger gets into the car, they can talk to Sedric. Passengers can talk to Sedric about the destination, how to get there, the driving time, the current traffic situation, perhaps even a short break on the way - users can talk to Sedric like they would with a personal assistant. While you are on the road, you can choose exactly what you want to do. The windscreen is a big OLED screen with augmented reality serves as a communication and entertainment center - but passengers can also close their eyes, sit back and relax.
Mohamed Said, creative director of Pixonal, noted that driverless cars are an important part of Dubai's Smart City Vision. "We are testing driverless cars, not just on the highways but in urban environments. We hope to test Sedric in the region very soon as well. What makes it different from other models is how friendly and interactive it is."
The Dubai Land Department is also showcasing an interactive multi-platform application that helps investors and developers track the progress of all real estate development projects in the emirate. 'Mashrooi', developed in exclusive partnership with Emaar Properties Group, combines innovative technology with open data to drive transparency in the real estate sector for both developers and investors.
The platform also allows developers to showcase upcoming developments to potential investors via the application; supplementing existing promotion methods. The app is the first in a long-line of planned initiatives from DLD designed to foster collaboration and encourage open data across the property sector.
Sultan Butti bin Mejren, director general of DLD, said: "This application serves to provide up to date and accurate information on all buildings under development in the emirate, enabling investors, residents, schools, business owners and others to be able to make informed decisions about where to live, work or invest."
Through the app, users are able to search for any project under development and track construction progress data. Through augmented reality, users may also visually compare the construction progress to the artistic renderings of the completed building. Further enhancements to the application will include using advanced elements like the ability to order a 'drone-inspection' of a project site that by using a GPS tracker will deliver real-time video footage and graphics.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com