A driverless taxi during a test run in Jumeirah 1, Dubai. RTA

Driverless taxis are now being tested in Dubai’s Jumeirah 1 area, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The supervised testing of the Chevrolet Bolt-based driverless taxis is being done with Cruise, a self-driving technology company. Cruise will validate autonomous driving safety and performance of its autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Dubai and the compatibility of the AV’s requirements on the digital and physical infrastructure of Jumeirah 1. The driverless taxis are also being tested for their performance and response to critical traffic situations in Dubai. Initial stages of the Dubai road tests of Cruise autonomous vehicles will include a safety driver behind the wheel. Meanwhile, the RTA has issued the first permit to AVs in Dubai. The trial permit was officially handed-over to Cruise, with whom RTA has a partnership agreement to operate autonomous vehicles to offer taxi and e-hailing services in the emirate of Dubai in future. Dubai aims to convert 25 percent of vehicle trips in the emirate to be autonomous by 2030. ICA/Expat Media
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