Dubai: The opening keynote at the upcoming Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport will be delivered by Sam "Flying Man" Rogers, famous for taking off in his jet suit.
Rogers, who is Chief Designer and Test Pilot at Gravity Industries, will kick off with the event on September 26 at Dubai World Trade Centre, sharing his story behind the Gravity Jet Suit.
The next day, attendees can look forward to an exciting demonstration of Sam Rogers.
Under the theme ‘Empowering Mobility 4.0’, the Congress unites global experts and specialists to discuss future mobility solutions and topics.
The Congress in held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council. The two-day gathering is hosted by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Experts, specialists
The event will feature numerous sessions, seminars, and panel discussions on the future of autonomous vehicles and mobility, with contributions from various stakeholders.
These dialogues promote the exchange of innovative ideas and technology perspectives from around the world, offering attendees insights into the latest trends and advancements in self-driving mobility technology.
RTA has finalised preparations to launch this “one-of-a-kind event in the MENA region”, anticipating over 2,000 international attendees keen to discuss sustainable and futuristic mobility solutions. SAE International, a strategic partner, will host unique knowledge sessions on Electric Vehicles and Robotics of AV Systems.
The event will feature several other keynote speakers. Dr Steven Shladover, an international expert in self-driving transportation technologies, will deliver the day’s closing keynote speech.
This (World Congress for Self-Driving Transport) aligns with Dubai’s vision to become a global platform for leadership in self-driving transport and its goal to transform 25% of mobility journeys in Dubai into smart and driverless journeys by 2030."
On the second day of the event, Dr Marko Bjelonic, founder of Swiss-Mile, will commence with the opening keynote address, and the day will wrap up with a closing keynote address from Duncan Walker, CEO and Co-founder of Skyports.
Global platform
Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, affirmed the importance of the Congress as a pioneering global platform bringing together leading experts in self-driving transport, including policy makers, tech innovators, researchers, and scholars.
“The third edition of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport at the Dubai World Trade Centre aims to advance UAE’s position in the autonomous vehicle sector. It underscores RTA’s commitment to safely and sustainably harnessing technology and innovation for enhancing well-being.
"This aligns with Dubai’s vision to become a global platform for leadership in self-driving transport and its goal to transform 25% of mobility journeys in Dubai into smart and driverless journeys by 2030,” said Bahrozyan.
“The Congress also supports the government’s forward-thinking approach to adopting innovations in autonomous mobility technology. It gathers global experts, including project managers, consultants, analysts, and international officials, to delve into the latest in self-driving advancements. With many top-tier companies in this domain participating, it fosters a rich exchange of pioneering concepts and ideas between entities.”
Felicitation of winners
RTA will honour the winners of the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport who have passed field tests. The winning companies and entities from the UAE and overseas have undergone an assessment by a global judgement panel. The challenge which was themed: Self-Driving Buses, has $2 million as a purse for the Industry Leaders category and $300,000 for winners in the Local Academia category.
Five international firms had qualified for the final stage in the Industry Leaders category: Alexander Dennis (UK), Bright Drive (Egypt), King Long (China), QuadriBot (France), and iAuto Technology (Taiwan).
Five universities were selected for the finals in the Local Academia category: HeriotWatt University Dubai, Khalifa University, University of Dubai, University of Bolton Ras Al Khaimah, and the American University of Sharjah.
60 exhibitors
The Congress is a special exhibition for self-driving transport in which 60 exhibitors representing leading companies will participate. The list includes General Motors’ Cruise, the Arabian Gulf Mechanical Center, United Motors and Heavy Equipment Company, Ruptela, SGS Gulf, Al Naboodah, Trapeze, Minus Zero, Dubai Technology, Talabat, Bystrak, Alexander Dennis, Bright Drive, iAuto Technology, QuadriBot, and King Long.
The companies will present their innovative range of self-driving buses. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the features and services of self-driving vehicles which will be launched in Dubai at the end of this year in cooperation with Cruise, the leading manufacturer of autonomous vehicles.
The Congress features diverse activities including a guided tour for attendees to explore the Museum of the Future and Tesla. For convenient transportation, participants will have the opportunity to ride “state-of-the-art” vehicles from the Congress to the Museum of the Future.
