The autonomous robot deployed in Jumeirah 3, Dubai. RTA

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has deployed a ‘Robocop’ to help catch violators of Dubai’s e-scooter and bicycle laws.

The AI-powered autonomous robot was deployed in Jumeirah 3 beach on Thursday (March 21). The RTA said no fines will be issued during the 30-day trial period starting Thursday.

The robot, which has four motion sensors and a camera, will be able to spot violations, including riders who don’t use a helmet, illegal parking, and using e-scooters on jogging tracks and unauthorized areas. It will also record e-scooters with two or more riders.

Currently, RTA’s Robocop can identify violations with 85 percent accuracy. It has a surveillance reach of 2km and can send data to Dubai Police and RTA within 5 seconds.

The trial robot will patrol an area of about 600 metres along the walking and cycling track of Jumeirah Beach 3 from 3pm to 11pm on weekdays, and from 5pm to 1am on weekends.

The robot can also operate under various weather conditions. It has been designed to stop when it detects any object or person within 1.5 metres to ensure there are no crashes.

Hamad Alafeefi, director at RTA’s Enterprise Command and Control Department, said that a safety officer will be on standby to assist in case of any emergency. ICA/Expat Media

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