Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has held a series of induction workshops about Artificial Intelligence (AI) for leaders and staff of the RTA in conjunction with a host of global firms. Workshops discussed an array of creative solutions as well as the future of AI and its applications in the fields of transport. Holding these workshops is part of the UAE Government’s AI Strategy; the first of its kind worldwide, and the first mega project under the UAE Centennial 2071. AI is the new wave that follows the Smart Government  aimed to capitalise on AI technologies and tools and apply them in various aspects of life and business. These workshops are part of our leadership’s vision to harness technologies and innovation in leveraging the smart transformation towards ranking Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. 

After welcoming attendees, Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of Corporate Technology Support Services Sector cum Chairman of RTA AI Committee, said, “These interactive workshops aim at improving & accelerating the government performance, and fostering innovative and high productivity working  environments. To achieve this, we have to raise the awareness about the latest AI technologies and tools, and their applications in various business fields in a highly efficient style. Such application will enable the optimal utilisation of the existing human and physical resources in a creative manner that accelerates the implementation of the program and futuristic projects.”

During the workshops, Mohammed Al Khayat, Director of Smart Services and Deputy Chairman of AI Committee, RTA, reviewed the principles and objectives of the UAE AI Strategy. Participating experts from global companies explained the difference between AI (characteristics that make systems capable of simulating human mental abilities such as the ability to learn and infer, and thus to address cases that have not been pre-programmed) and conventional computer systems. AI dates back to 1950s and was limited to academic research in laboratories, but has recently risen to the fore at a time marked by a surge in computing, storage and communications capabilities.

Participants made presentations about AI and its applications especially in the transport industry, improving the organisational efficiency, and leveraging operations in general. 

Bashaar Kailani, Regional Director of GCC and The Levant, and Tariq Saeed, CEO of AI Technology, IBM Middle East, spoke about AI and its applications in transport and other sectors. They examined the actual factors responsible for augmenting the importance of AI more than any time before.

Mr. George Sebastiao, ICT and AI Expert at Huawei Company, highlighted the theoretical structure of using AI in all phases of traffic management covering traffic sensors, traffic data collection, machine learning, and intelligent response based on a multimedia transport system.

Alessio Pagnarisi, Data and AI Manager, and Yasser Abdul Qader, Senior Architect, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Microsoft, discussed the role of AI in digital transformation over four key areas: customers, products, processes, and employees. They reviewed the Traffic Movement Analysis model as well as the counting and classifying of vehicles through applying AI technologies to road surveillance cameras.

Mr. Cyril Finci, AI Expert, and Mr Koshal Shah, Managing Partner of Roland Berger, also discussed the impact of AI on the value chain of the transport sector. Luigi de Ritou, Data Director, EMEA, and Joseph Hoppen, VP for Clients and Strategy, SAP, talked about Enterprise AI, i.e. enabling core enterprise processes through machine learning and improving the efficiency of core processes by using AI. AI applications include smart reconciliations of financial accounts, product identification as part of customers’ service, and the use of AI to verify the compliance with safety rules at the workplace. 

From inception, the RTA attached paramount importance to AI technologies and tools in view of the role of these technologies in realising its vision of Safe and Smooth Transport for All and supporting its strategic goals and objectives such as Smart Dubai, People Happiness and RTA Excellence. The RTA is developing a wide spectrum of AI initiatives through innovation labs, MoUs and prototypes in keeping with the AI Strategy rendering it an inseparable part of RTA business model. As such, the AI drive will help the RTA cope with the accelerating changes, and bring about a quality shift in performance across the board.