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
Sharjah Unveils Uruk: A New Generation of Sustainable Cities Built for the Post-AI Era29.10.2026 20:15:00 EET | Press release
In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of American University of Sharjah and Chairperson of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, a pioneering model for a new generation of cities designed for the post-AI era called “Uruk.” This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261029129346/en/ H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, during the inauguration of “Uruk” (Photo: AETOSWire) The project was revealed at the opening of the second edition of Sharjah Next, through a strategic partnership between Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), American University of Sharjah (AUS) and SEE Holding, bringing together their capabilities in innovation, scientific research and sustainable urban development. Uruk introduces a new vision for urba
Motive and Vivo Brazil Win 2026 Leading Lights Award for Network API Monetization29.10.2026 18:35:00 EET | Press release
Motive, a global leader in entitlement, connected device and service management and Vivo Brazil, Brazil’s largest operator and part of the Telefónica Group, have won the 2026 Light Reading Leading Lights Award for Outstanding Use Case: Network API Monetization for the first commercial scale deployment of SIM-based silent authentication in Latin America. SMS OTP remains relevant as an authentication method due to its broad reach, working on virtually any type of mobile device. SIM-based silent authentication takes this experience a step further by eliminating the need to receive and manually enter codes. The result is a simpler, more seamless user journey that reduces friction and can help lower abandonment rates while increasing customer conversion and retention. Using Motive’s CAMARA-compliant Entitlement Server, Vivo can now verify a subscriber’s phone number directly without requiring a passcode over mobile networks. The business value is straightforward: a simpler authentication ex
REV Ocean Appoints Paul Baribault as CEO Ahead of 2027 Global Operations29.10.2026 16:45:00 EET | Press release
REV Ocean has appointed Paul Baribault as Chief Executive Officer as the organization moves towards the international debut of its 195-metre research vessel in Rio de Janeiro in April 2027, alongside the UN Ocean Decade Conference. One of the world's largest privately owned research and exploration vessels, REV represents a major philanthropic investment in ocean science. With nine laboratories, advanced deep-sea exploration vehicles and dedicated collaboration facilities, it is designed to give scientists access to world-class research infrastructure and connect their discoveries with the people and institutions able to drive ocean protection. Baribault joins as REV Ocean moves from a decade of engineering and construction into international operations. His mandate will be to build the international partnerships, funding base and organization needed to turn REV Ocean’s scientific capabilities into lasting ocean impact. An experienced conservation and nonprofit leader, Baribault served
Holder Partners Launches Strategic Communications Practice and Appoints Ali Ponte as Director and Practice Lead29.10.2026 16:15:00 EET | Press release
Holder Partners, a multidisciplinary consulting and advisory firm, today announced the launch of its Strategic Communications practice and the appointment of Ali Ponte as Director and Practice Lead. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261027701219/en/ Ali Ponte, Director and Practice Lead of Holder Partners’ Strategic Communications practice. The practice advises leading companies and institutions, their boards, senior executives and counsel on communications, reputation and stakeholder considerations in complex matters and periods of significant change or opportunity. Each engagement is tailored to the client’s objectives and, where relevant, draws on Holder Partners’ broader advisory capabilities. Its strategic counsel, informed by research and analysis, helps clients assess the implications of a matter, anticipate stakeholder responses and communicate clearly and effectively. That work includes crisis preparedn
Accertify Formalizes Partner Ecosystem as Fraud, Payments, and Chargebacks Converge Into a Single Risk Surface29.10.2026 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Accertify, a leading fraud decisioning provider whose Predictive Yes Platform helps merchants say yes to more good customers, more revenue, and more growth, today announced the launch of the Accertify Partner Program, a formalized partnership ecosystem connecting payment providers, orchestrators, commerce platforms, and consultancies to Accertify’s network-powered fraud intelligence. Partners can join through two tracks. The Referral track lets partners make a single introduction while Accertify handles the sale, implementation, and support. The Reseller track lets partners sell Accertify on their own contract and own the client relationship and margin. Partners that integrate with Accertify follow a defined certification path, so clients get a tested, supported connection from day one. Every client a partner brings joins a consortium where good customers verified anywhere in the network get through faster everywhere, and bad actors seen anywhere are stopped everywhere. In 2025, Accert
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