Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport Winners Announced for Prizes Worth USD 5.1 Million
15.10.2019 23:12:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport; organised by Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai on 15th and 16th October 2019 has attracted more than 700 technology leaders and innovators as well as 3000 visitors of the accompanying exhibition. The congress focuses on cutting-edge technologies, besides discussing and developing a general legislative structure for autonomous transport.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191015006107/en/
Winners of the Dubai World Self-Driving Transport Challenge (Photo: AETOSWire)
The event is part of RTA’s efforts in support of the strategy unleashed by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make 25% of all trips in Dubai smart and driverless by 2030. The congress attracted 80 international experts, including five keynote speakers, who will be taking part in 40 lectures and 39 technical workshops.
The congress is shaping into an all-inclusive global platform for self-driving transport that brings together top experts, policymakers, technology developers, researchers and academia. The event aims to highlight the leading role of Dubai Government in self-driving transport and accelerate the drive to achieve the targets of Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy through attracting experts and technologies of self-driving transport to Dubai. The event also aims to raise public awareness about the latest technologies and future trends of transportation as well as identifying the potential impacts on investments and different transport strategies.
Dubai Challenge
Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, which carries prize money of US$5.1 million (about 19m Dirhams) attracted 65 entities from 20 countries, 15 of them qualified for the finals. The challenge focused on the first and last-mile challenge of mobility journeys.
Five leading companies, three start-ups and seven local and foreign universities qualified for the finals. Qualifying vehicles were subjected to different scenarios and tests on a dedicated track tailor-made for testing such vehicles at the Dubai Silicon Oasis.
Tests carried included stopping at bus stops, forced stop, overtaking a stopping vehicle, overtaking a bike, and dealing with various traffic scenarios such as signals, pedestrian crossing, road works, and sand on road. Tests also covered negotiating a roundabout, handling of humps, rains and high-speed turns.
Nominees for the challenge were qualified on certain parameters including the status, credibility, vision, skills and relevant experience of the entity. They were then subjected to several tests in various categories to assess their performance under six key standards and 18 subsidiary standards. Key standards covered the operation plan, tolerance and reliability, sustainability and energy, customer experience, safety and security, and dealing with road users.
Awards
The list of winners was delivered by autonomous delivery bot Roxo developed by FedEx Express in a fitting move with Dubai being selected as the first city outside the USA to host the test of this personal delivery bot. French companies swept the prizes of leading companies amounting to USD 3 million. Gaussin won the sustainability and energy award, Navya won the durability and reliability award as well as the customers' experience award.
In the start-ups category the first USD 1 million went to Sensible 4 from Finland, while the runner-up was iAuto from Taiwan who bagged USD 500,000 while UAE-based Derq Company finished third.
Amongst the international universities, the winner was Freie Universität Berlin which received USD 200,000; while Carlos III de Madrid University won second place with USD 100,000 and the Australian University UTS came third. In the local universities, Dubai University finished first with USD 200,000; UAE University came second bagging USD 100,000 and Al Ain University was third.
The Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport comprised several phases. In February 2018 the challenge was announced, and in October 2018 qualifiers for Phase II were announced. In February 2019, Phase II started and in March tests started at Dubai Silicon Oasis. From April to June this year, a team made overseas visits to Taiwan, Finland, Australia, Germany and Spain to assess start-ups and academia. In July qualifiers arrived in Dubai to collect geographical data about test tracks and draw maps, and in August vehicle tests started on the challenge track. Winners were selected according to results achieved in tests.
*Source: AETOSWire
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191015006107/en/
Contact information
Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)
Maryam Al Balooshi, Manager, Media Communication
Marketing and Corporate Communication Department
Tel: +97142902699
Email Maryam.HAlblooshi@rta.ae
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Riskified Named to the CNBC World's Top Fintech Companies 2026 List23.7.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a global leader in ecommerce fraud detection and risk intelligence, has been named to CNBC's World's Top Fintech Companies 2026 list, in the Payments category. The list, now in its fourth edition, is produced by CNBC in partnership with Statista Inc., the global statistics and industry ranking firm. It was announced on July 22, 2026, and is available on CNBC's website. This is Riskified's second time making the list. The company previously earned this recognition in 2024, reinforcing its position in the ecommerce fraud and risk intelligence sector and underscoring its ongoing success in empowering businesses to grow revenue and profitability by mitigating risk through its AI-powered platform. CNBC and Statista's ranking covers the top 500 companies across eight fintech segments — Payments, Neobanking, Alternative Financing, Wealth Technology, Digital Assets, Enterprise Fintech, Insurtech, and Regtech. Companies are scored using an aggregated model that weighs ov
Azafaros Completes Enrollment of Phase 3 (NAVIGATE) Study Evaluating Nizubaglustat for the Treatment of Patients with GM1/GM2 Gangliosidoses23.7.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
Azafaros, a private company building a portfolio of disease-modifying therapeuticsto become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) focused on addressing neurological symptoms, today announced the completion of patient recruitment in its Phase 3 study evaluating nizubaglustat for the treatment of GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses. “Completing enrollment in our Phase 3 GM1/GM2 study is a significant step toward potentially bringing nizubaglustat to patients and families living with these devastating neurodegenerative diseases," said Stefano Portolano, Chief Executive Officer at Azafaros. "We are deeply grateful to the patients, caregivers, investigators and advocacy groups who have made this milestone possible. As we advance the GM1/GM2 study toward data readout and regulatory submission, we continue to enroll in our Phase 3 NPC study and remain focused on our goal of addressing the significant unmet medical needs faced by these rare disease communities." Professor Roberto Giugliani, Princi
Francisco Partners Closes $21 Billion Across Flagship and Agility Funds23.7.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
Francisco Partners (“FP”), a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology companies, today announced the closing of $21 billion in capital commitments across its Francisco Partners VIII, L.P. flagship fund and Francisco Partners Agility IV, L.P., its middle-market fund. FP exceeded its initial targets of $14.0 billion and $3.5 billion, respectively. This milestone builds on Francisco Partners' longstanding track record of performance, underscored by its distinction as the only firm to rank among the top three performers in each of the past six HEC-Dow Jones Large Buyout Performance Rankings.* “In our business, long-term success is created through a series of relationships built on years of trust and collaboration," said Dipanjan (“DJ”) Deb, Co-Founder and CEO of Francisco Partners. "We want to thank our investors for their support, our management teams for their dedication and performance, our friends and partners throughout the technology ecosystem, ou
Taiwanese ensembles showcase erhu and ocarina at Prague Folklore Days23.7.2026 11:21:00 EEST | Press release
The Prague Folklore Days 2026 was held on July 17 and 18 in the heart of Prague, bringing together 56 international arts groups from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland. Four Taiwanese groups took part: Hildebrand Yu’s ocarina band, the Shi-xian Huqin Orchestra, the Taipei Folk Orchestra, and the Four Strings Ensemble. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722841530/en/ Taiwanese ensembles showcase erhu and ocarina at Prague Folklore Days Led by Huang Chun-sin, the official Taiwan representative band featured a diverse lineup of ocarina, erhu, and dance performers. Their program stood out among the European groups with its distinctive character and vivid stage presence. Hildebrand Yu’s ocarina band captivated audiences with warm, uplifting melodies accompanied by the ocarina and ukulele. Yu also performed “Twilight Waltz,” delivering a heartfelt piece of poetic expression, like sunlight
Taiwan Children’s Choirs Garner Major Awards at Hungarian Choral Competition23.7.2026 10:33:00 EEST | Press release
Competing against 36 leading contenders from 20 countries, four Taiwanese children’s choirs have garnered several major awards and top honors at the 5th Budapest International Choral Celebration, showcasing Taiwan’s cultural diversity and music excellence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722613876/en/ Puzangalan Children’s Choir and Yo Wu Wei Children’s Chorus join forces with international choral ensembles and orchestras to perform Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626 at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall of Müpa Budapest. With its pure, angelic voices and exceptional vocal techniques, Puzangalan Children’s Choir from Pingtung County won the top prize, Laurea Summa Cum Laude, in the Grand Prix Competition’s Youth Choir of Equal Voices, Folklore, and Sacred Music categories. In the Open Competition, Yo Wu Wei Children’s Chorus claimed three gold prizes in the categories of Youth Choir of Equal Voices
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom