The UAE is pioneering new futuristic mobility options which are slated to change the way we travel. The Filipino Times gives you a breakdown of the transportation technologies that will make your daily commute a breeze.
From smart metro gates to paperless airport check-ins, “card-less” Nol system, taxis where you can talk to the driver in 26 languages, even online limo booking and drive-thru police stations, everything is getting more seamless, sophisticated… and thrilling.
Various innovations meant to put the UAE at the forefront of smart cities across the world were announced at the 39th Gitex Technology Week held from Oct. 6 to 10, 2019 at Dubai World Trade Center on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The five-day global event, which featured trends in robotics, digital technology and artificial intelligence, was attended by over 100,000 visitors and participated in by more than 4,500 exhibitors from about 140 countries, organizers said.
The event also came on the heels of a Smart City Index 2019 report by Switzerland’s Institute for Management Development (IMD), done in partnership with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), which ranked Dubai at 45th place, and Abu Dhabi, 65th among 102 smart cities of the world.
Dubai beat Seoul, Barcelona and Paris; while Abu Dhabi was ahead of Shanghai and Tokyo, according to the report.
Top 10 on the Smart City Index 2019 were Singapore, Zurich, Oslo, Geneva, Copenhagen, Auckland, Taipei, Helsinki, Bilbao and Dusseldorf in that order.
Smart cities incorporate advances achieved in the Internet of Things to improve people’s lifestyles and at the same time make cities sustainable. Ideally, this results in improved efficiency and productivity, which in turn translate to more economic growth and wealth for everyone, experts said.
The IESE Business School’s Center for Globalization and Strategy, which has also came up with its list of smartest cities in the world and was published by Forbes, has the following parameters for determining just how smart a city is: human capital, which means the ability to develop, attract and nurture talents; social cohesion, where consensus among the different social groups in a city is formed by way of tolerance; economy, environment, governance, urban planning, international outreach, technology, mobility and transportation, which involves ease of movement and access to public services.
London, New York, Amsterdam, Paris and Reykjavik topped the IESE list in that order.
