The Future is Fabulous: Dubai's Automated Taxis, Flying Cars, & Delivery Drones

Dubai is known to be the hub of futuristic inventions. There are hundreds of science and innovative technology shows held in the heart of Dubai every year that attract a crowd of science and tech buffs from across the globe on Dubai Visa. One such event that recently took place in Dubai is none other than the 42nd edition of GITEX (Gulf Information Technology Exhibition). The event brought together innovators and thought leaders from across several industries and gave them a platform to showcase their creations.

About GITEX 2022

GITEX 2022 displayed an array of innovations from the technology, science, metaverse, fintech, and the AI world. The 5-day event at Dubai World Trade Centre saw a footfall of more than 138,000 visitors this year, making it the largest exhibition in the Middle East. It had 5000 participants which included 1400 new firms, including Binance, AMD, Tencent, and ByteDance, coming from more than 140 countries.

The participants of this exhibition showcased some of the most mind-blowing technologies, be it flying cars, autonomous taxis, or humanoid robots - the event gave a one-of-a-kind experience for all things innovative to its visitors. Government departments of Dubai were a step ahead in showing how they are working on transformational projects for urban development. The Dubai Municipality displayed how they are planning to use unmanned drones for aerial surveys, aerial logistics, and air mobility. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority featured their four-legged robot called “Mwafeq” which they plan to use for inspecting and auditing stations and reading meters in remote areas.

Automated Taxis Are Finally In Dubai

GITEX 2022 witnessed Dubai's first driverless "automated" Taxis on display which are scheduled to go on the roads of Dubai by next year. These taxis were displayed by the roads and transport authority in the GITEX exhibition. In a tweet back in April 2021, the crown prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum had already announced that Dubai will be the first city outside of America to have self-driving Cruise vehicles. To make this possible, the government collaborated with Cruise for the Cruise Origin taxis which would be one of the autonomous transportation offerings in Dubai soon.

Aside from Cruise taxis, another autonomous vehicle for public transport that was revealed in the GITEX 2022 is the taxi Minibus which is due to be used for the very first time during the upcoming Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26. This minibus can seat up to 7 passengers at a time. It will have 8 stoppage points on Yas Island for the convenience of the people who have to travel through this route. There will be LED screens inside the cabin of the minibus which would display passenger routes with stoppage points, there would be a dedicated screen for entertainment as well. In the future, the specialist transportation systems management department of the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport also plans to bring a more compact-sized vehicle that would transport individual passengers.

The highlight of the show: Flying Car Unveiled

XPeng AeroHT - the much-hyped Chinese company's 5th generation "flying car" named "Xpeng X2" was also unveiled at this exhibition. Reportedly, while this prototype is not up for sale yet, the company has started its test drives - or should we say “test flights” in certain regulated areas. The XPeng X2 eVTOL can drive at altitudes of up to 1000 meters in the air. One can drive it for 35 minutes at a time on a single full charge and the maximum speed of this vehicle is 130 km/h. Furthermore, its maximum takeoff weight is 560 kg, which means that it can also carry a sufficient amount of luggage aside from two passengers.

This teardrop-shaped, two-seater flying car with a total of eight propellers was the most attractive focal point of the whole event, and even the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum was present at the extraordinary GITEX 2022 exhibition to see it flying in real life. This flying car is supposedly going to be available in the market by 2024. Initially, the company plans to test it out for logistics purposes rather than making it available for passengers.

As per XPeng, the innovators behind this eVTOL flying car, this vehicle type will be most suitable for short-distance travels within the city - especially for medical transportation. They received the flying permit from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) after completing their very first public flight during the GITEX. After their successful display in the GITEX, here is what Brian Gu, the vice chairman and president of Xpeng said about the company’s vision "Xpeng X2's public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for Xpeng Aeroht and the international achievement of flying cars,”

“Dubai is a world-renowned 'City of Innovation', which is the reason we decided to hold the X2 first public flight event here. Today's flight is a major step in XPENG's exploration of future mobility." He further added.

Your Face Is The Future Of Biometrics

General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) is aiming for a smart innovation that would make all manners of transactions smoother, faster, and more feasible for the general public. At the Dubai GITEX 2022, they displayed over 9 of their projects, out of which, their main attraction was the big data screen that showcased facial biometrics. All the services offered by GDRFA like applying for a visa or permanent residency will be accessible and verified via the facial biometrics of an individual. People residing in Dubai will not require a passport or any other verification documents to avail visa and residency services. Once this facial biometrics service will be fully implemented and ready to be used by the public, you will be able to proceed with visa and residency applications simply by using your phone.

GDRFA has already enabled facial biometrics at airports via smart gates, it is surely going to be exciting to see them launch this innovative verification method for other services as well.

About The Author

Robeena Brown is a travel blogger & destination expert living in UAE and works for local tourism companies like Arabiers. If you have been looking forward to touring Dubai, getting a visa, extending stays and exploring the city, you can follow her on social media.