The UAE is famed around the world for its pioneering approach to adopting advanced technologies and approaches, especially when it comes to vehicles; be it devices to make cars quieter, robots that inspect vehicles to ensure they are safe, or legislation designed to drastically reduce emissions.

However, where the UAE is really striding away from the rest of the world is in the development – and ultimate deployment – of self-driving cars.

<b>The self-driving capital of the world</b>

UAE officials are never people to shy away from ambitious goals or targets, and nowhere is that mentality more obvious than Dubai, which has set a target of one-quarter of all journeys being self-driving by 2030. That’s just 12 years away.

This goal was declared when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who is both Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launch of the Dubai Smart Self-Driving vision back in 2016. At the time, many detractors considered this to be a fanciful ideal, but progress is more certainly being made.

<b>A focus on taxis</b>

In the next few days, Dubai’s very first autonomous taxi will be sent out for its inaugural test run. This vehicle, which is equipped with a multitude of high-tech cameras and sensors, was arguably the Dubai Road and Transport Authority’s biggest announcement during the recent Gitex Technology Week.

Of course, the primary focus is on ensuring the safety of both the passengers within the taxi, as well as those in vehicles the taxi will encounter during journeys. To this end, the advanced cameras and sensors have been designed to be able to accurately assess traffic and road conditions, which will, in turn, dictate the car’s speed and direction.

And it would seem that Dubai’s ambitious goals may actually be ahead of schedule. In August, an RTA statement claimed that it would have autonomous vehicles driving along the city’s main roads in the “very near future”. However, no specific date was announced.

[https://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/self-driving-cars-to-hit-dubai-s-roads-in-near-future-says-rta-1.759501]

<b>Ahead of the curve</b>

According to a comprehensive report recently published by renowned consultancy firm KPMG, the UAE is one of only 10 countries in the world that is currently prepared to be able to accommodate driverless vehicles on its roads. The report also claimed that the UAE – and specifically Dubai – has all of the ingredients necessary to become a hub for the development and production of driverless vehicles, largely due to the region’s dedication to new technologies.

[https://home.kpmg.com/uk/en/home/insights/2018/01/2018-autonomous-vehicles-readiness-index.html]

The UAE is at the forefront of car technology, but a recent robotic development has showcased just how much the boundaries are being pushed.

A newly designed robot will soon be able to assist motorists when it comes to detecting faults in their cars after a newly developed vehicle inspection system (VIS) was launched.

The robot, which was unveiled at the 38th Gitex Technology Week in Dubai, is just one of any number of incredible initiatives that have recently been revealed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) as part of its ongoing mission to make the UAE’s roads safer.

<b>What do the robots actually do?</b>

 

Though such robots are currently only in a pilot phase, these devices are set to be installed at numerous petrol stations, as well as select other public locations, to help drivers detect problems in their vehicles.

The five-foot robots will be able to interact with motorists and enable them to, in just a few simple steps, check for serious and significant vehicular faults. People will have the capacity to find faults in their vehicles, and can therefore take measures to get such problems fixed.

<b>The process</b>

Once the driver parks up and decides to use the device, they will be asked to remove a dongle that is part of the robot that can then be inserted into the car. This will give the opportunity to scan the vehicle’s diagnostics and check its overall health.

After the dongle has been inserted into the vehicle, it will take around ten minutes for all of the vehicle’s systems to be read and for any faults to be properly noted. Upon the conclusion of the scan, the dongle will be removed from the vehicle, placed back into the robot, and then all of the collected data will be analysed. The vehicle owner will then supply a name and email address, and the resultant data and analysis will be forwarded.

Speaking about this device Jamal Al Sadah, RTA director, said: “At the moment, the smart robot is on a proof of concept phase, but soon, there will be no need for the owner to bring the car to the service centre because we will be deploying the smart inspection robots.”

The Corvette, one of the most iconic American sports cars and the jewel in Chevrolet’s crown, has long stuck to a dependable formula – small block V8 upfront, a cloth roof in the middle and huge tyres at the rear to tame those wild Kentucky horses. But recently, GM has been spotted testing a prototype that most definitely has its engine mounted in the middle of the car.

Rumours of a Corvette with a midship powerplant have been going around the automotive press for several years, but now it seems those rumours are becoming reality. Camouflaged cars have been spotted on the roads near Corvette’s home of Bowling Green, Kentucky, as well as at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany, an unforgiving testing ground for many new performance cars. The proportions of these mysterious prototypes coupled with the placement of large air intakes behind the doors has led to speculation that GM has turbocharged the mid-mounted V8 engine, which would be another radical departure from tradition for Corvette.

There has also been speculation from journalists that the prototype supercar may potentially be a flagship Cadillac model instead of a Corvette, but this remains to be seen. As prototypes are currently being tested on public roads, it is likely that the full production car will be unveiled in the next 2 to 3 years.

The likelihood that this mid-engine beast will be sold in the UAE and in the Middle East is very high, thanks to GM’s established network of Chevrolet and Cadillac dealerships in the region and solid sales figures.

Corvette’s latest flagship model, the colossally powerful 2019 ZR1, was unveiled in Dubai earlier in 2018, indicating that the American marque is trying to increase their brand recognition and stake in the UAE’s hugely lucrative performance car market. With Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche all holding significant stakes in the Middle Eastern supercar market, GM’s decision to make their next supercar more technologically exciting could be a way to compete with the desirability of the European brand.

If you can’t wait for the mid-engine Corvette to be released, then the 750 horsepower Corvette ZR1 is on sale in the UAE now from a starting price of around AED$620,000.

German auto-giant Audi has announced its first fully-electric production vehicle, named the e-tron. For those familiar with the brand, the ‘e-tron’ moniker will ring bells as Audi has used the name before – most notably for a concept car that was an electrified version of their hugely successful R8 supercar and also on their Le Mans-winning R18 Hybrid race-car. Now, the technicians at Ingolstadt have set their gaze on EVs for the road and the e-tron SUV is the result.

From the outside, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish the e-tron from any of the rest of Audi’s range of SUVs and crossovers which range from the boxy city-oriented Q1 to the muscular beast that is the Q8. With styling cues that blend in seamlessly with Audi’s current design language, the e-tron appears to sit squarely in the middle of the SUV size spectrum and promises to be able to seat five passengers in luxurious quality. Unlike the Tesla Model X with its futuristic appearance and ‘falcon’ doors, the e-tron appears to be aiming to be inconspicuous and understated.

The all-electric power train of the e-tron is what makes it a first for the brand, and a potential Tesla-fighter. With a combined power output in the region of 350 horsepower driving all four wheels, a 250-mile battery range and a high-wattage fast charging system, the e-tron appears to deliver in terms of performance and usability. Audi engineers have also made use of regenerative braking to recoup kinetic energy that is normally wasted. Whether these technical developments can help Audi take the fight to the Model X, Jaguar’s I-Pace, or the recently announce Mercedes-Benz ECQ, is yet to be seen.

Initially set to be released first in VAG’s domestic European market, the e-tron is set to be available on sale in the UAE and Middle Eastern marketplace from mid-2019. With Audi’s already-established dealer network in the region coupled with both a demand for luxury SUVs in the Middle East and a global demand for electric cars, the e-tron is likely to see a strong level of success despite prices starting in Europe from around AED 339,000.

In 2001, Hyundai launched the Santa Fe, an SUV which has for the length of its life catered to a very specific section of buyers who are looking for something very specific from their vehicle. If you want something rugged, reliable, and affordable without too many extra bells and whistles, the Santa Fe was for you.

After the previous generation failed to capture the imagination of the Middle East, resulting in a decreased market share, Hyundai is hoping to attract new buyers to the Santa Fe’s latest incarnation.

A modern re-design

The latest generation Santa Fe is first and foremost a very attractive vehicle. The Santa Fe has never been known historically for its looks, in fact it’s been lucky that most buyers have bought it for its usability and reliability because you’d never even begin to consider one for its beauty.

Hyundai seems to have remedied this with the new Santa Fe, giving it a new sleek and handsome style as part of the design language that is appearing throughout its model range. Don’t be fooled into thinking the new Santa Fe is now all about looking good, however.

Functionality remains excellent with comfortable seating and excellent all round visibility, making the Santa Fe perfect for anyone who regularly takes long trips. Safety features are also present thanks to the SmartSense package, containing useful options like Blind Spot Assist and Collision Warning.

The engines

The Santa Fe will be available throughout the Middle East with a choice of two different engines. First is a 2.4 litre four cylinder unit that has 172 horsepower, which is mated to a six speed automatic gearbox and a choice of front or all-wheel drive.

The second is a 3.5 litre V6 which has a much more impressive 280 horsepower and benefits from a quicker shifting 8 speed gearbox and all-wheel drive as standard. This makes the new Hyundai Santa Fe more than capable of blasting comfortably along the Middle East’s long, open highways.

One thing is certain, the 2019 Santa Fe has style to spare.