Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched two projects that use artificial intelligence (AI) to cut down bus waiting times and improve overall efficiency by also reducing emissions.
The RTA has collaborated with Alibaba Cloud to start the ‘City Brain’ system for the management of traffic in urban areas. It analyses data received from operating buses and taxis as well as the Enterprise Command and Control Centre to improve bus schedules and routes. The authorities are expecting to improve bus ridership by 17 per cent and cut down the average waiting time by 10 per cent.
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The remote Bus Performance Monitoring Centre at Al Quoz Bus Depot is likewise used to track and monitor the performance efficiency of 516 Volvo buses that are fitted with the ‘Telematics’ system.
This system includes 47 types of alerts covering mechanical aspects, fuel consumption per kilometre, and the condition of the safety equipment.
The launch came as public transport ridership is returning back to pre-COVID-19 levels.
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Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA, said that public transport ridership “is back to about 70 per cent of the pre-Covid-19 levels.”
He also said that the initiatives launched recently have helped reduce the number of kilometres travelled by 18 per cent and improve bus on-time arrival by 6 per cent while cutting down carbon emissions by 34 metric tonnes. (AW)
