Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) reported that the Enterprise Command and Control Centre (EC3), had become a popular destination for visiting VIPs, diplomats, local and federal government delegations, leading firms as well as local, Arab and international media since launched in May 2017. 

Visitors were keen to know more about the sophisticated technologies and processes in use at the facility; which is considered one of the biggest and latest control centres in the world in terms of using advanced technologies in controlling and integrating various transit means of RTA, and enabling sound planning for mobility challenges in the Emirate.

These high-profile visits illustrate Dubai standing in the region and beyond, and the advanced technologies it uses in roads and transport projects. The Centre delivers a clear message reflecting Dubai ability to surpass the international standards in coping with roads and transport challenges and reveals the solid will behind such projects. It enables the link with all mass transit systems (metro, tram, buses, taxis and water transport) as well as traffic systems.
It also has ample office space, press centre, and four utility buildings. The facility is compatible with the specifications of green buildings. 

Facilities

The EC3 links the control centres of RTA operational agencies with a central and integrated control unit. It’s also being connected with other entities related to RTA business. Roles of the Centre include supporting control centres of RTA agencies and sectors, managing crises and events, integrating transit means, managing and analysing information, compiling data and generating strategic reports, and managing the information security.

The main control room of the centre spans an area of 430 square metres and has a capacity to accommodate 18 persons. It is linked with 34 fully integrated RTA systems. It can also link with systems outside RTA, and receive and manage the feed about 10,000 surveillance cameras. 

People Movement

The centre makes use of data of mobile phones in planning and managing the movement of crowds through automated identification of population density and directing transit modes to serve them. As such, it enables maximum benefit from transport systems by matching the movement of people with the movement of transport means, and simulating the virtual presence on the ground using a 3D presentation, and monitoring people movement using drones.

 
The centre also uses the relative population density programme which specifies the population density for using transit means between starting and terminal points of the journey, thus enabling the teams to figure out people movement during a specific time. It also has a Mobility Planning Room (The Cave) that displays a 3D map on the main screen enabling the analyser or planner to use modern technologies in events planning.

Heatmap Technology

The centre uses the massive flow of information in managing crowds thanks to the population density detection feature. The feature uses GSM technology to read and analyse the movement of people through mobile phones GSM technology provided in collaboration with telecommunication service providers. The output is reflected on the main display screen at the operation platform. The human density points appear as Heatmaps through which it will be possible to quantify the density and spread of people at a specific point.

AI Technology

The centre uses artificial intelligence (AI) in managing accidents and emergencies, thus acts as a sophisticated platform for communication between emergency teams. Thanks to AI technology, it is possible to receive voice commands and instantly integrating them in the system instead of the traditional printing of commands. The system is fitted with a machine-learning feature and has the potential to engage in various scenarios for tackling emergencies to ensure quick response and a minimal human error. 

Strategic Roles

The EC3 aims to be a world leader and model of excellence in the control of roads and transport systems as it is a unique and smart centre capable of propelling the ability of Dubai to host global events, supporting central decision-making of all transit means, assisting the strategic transport planning tasks and integrating with RTA’s main systems and control centres. 

The Centre supports RTA’s efforts in transforming Dubai into the world’s smartest city in the field of transport. It will contribute to easing snarls, reducing mobility time and cost, cutting traffic accidents, and limiting environmental pollution through smart planning for coping with the transport challenges in the Emirate.

The Centre aims to enhance the experience and happiness of customers through providing instant information about the movement of transport systems in the Emirate, integrating with social media channels and raising the people happiness through the smooth use of mass transit means. 

Mobility Planning 

The EC3 will also step up the coordination with various control centres by using simulators and the smart forecasting of transit services. It can improve coordination in planning and managing crises, events, and organise mobility during mega-events and exhibitions in Dubai. Accordingly, it will play a key role in serving mobility from and to Expo 2020, managing information in support of decision-making and monitoring information security for protecting RTA’s operational technology systems against security threats.