Dubai gets a brain of its own to boost public transport via AI

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Technology has proved to be a life-saver to an extent during the pandemic via health apps paired with gadgets, while online services helped people transform the way they live during lockdowns. Since people displayed growing acceptance towards innovative solutions, Emirati authorities have increased the speed of integrating cloud and AI into public services.

Following the rise of machine learning in the post-pandemic era, Dubai’s local bodies have been launching initiatives to create a futuristic infrastructure with facial recognition and smart metres. To drive up the inflow of intelligent tech into the Middle East’s tech oasis, Dubai’s transport authority is using an artificial brain to handle movement of buses.

The electronic mind created in collaboration with Alibaba Cloud, will gather information about the wagons from nol cards, which are meant to provide access for commuters. Real time data sent to a control centre is then processed through artificial intelligence, and the insights churned out are used for enhancing schedules and routes of the vehicles.

Using this tech will cut down waiting time for Dubai’s residents and time taken during the commute will also see a five percent improvement.

But the mechanism branded as “City Brain”, isn’t the only offering by RTA, which has also unveiled an intelligent monitoring solution to track fuel usage per kilometre in buses. These telematics-based devices are expected to cut down fuel consumption by five percent, and can also boost the maintenance of vehicles.

The tech embedded in 516 Volvo buses across Dubai, sends out notifications about mechanical issues in the wagons, using 47 different alerts designed for precision. As a step towards protecting travellers, AI will also keep authorities up to speed with the condition of safety equipment on the bus.

The city’s road transport authority has been in the news for past several months, as it launched services like machine learning to predict traffic snarls, and has also used smart tech for mapping out the fastest bus routes.

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