[Auto Moto] What does the future of self-driving look like in the Middle East?

[Love Pulse]

 

Stemming from its leading position in the automotive market, as the exclusive distributor of Nissan, Infiniti and Renault cars in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for more than 36 years, Al Masaood Automobiles has been working to meet the needs of a wide range of customers, including individuals, companies and government entities. Adopting the concept of technological innovation as a corporate culture and work methodology to ensure that it continues to provide the best services to customers, and keep pace with the transformation in the world of driving and the automotive market in general.

 
In this article, Irfan Tancel, CEO of Al Masaood Automobiles, shares his vision on how to bring about a radical and positive change within the automotive sector, in line with the requirements of the future, in light of the emergence of electric cars, smart mobility and self-driving vehicles. Tancel, who has a professional experience spanning more than 40 years, is considered a prominent and influential figure in the automotive sector, which qualified him to be one of the "Top 100 CEOs in the Middle East" according to Forbes magazine, and in the list of " The Top 100 Inspirational Leaders in the Middle East, issued by the “Arabian Business” magazine, in addition to being selected as the “Best CEO of the Year” by CEO Magazine.

  
It is no secret to any follower of the technical sector that it is witnessing the tremendous acceleration it is witnessing, especially with the start of applying artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques in various aspects of life, in addition to the spread of self-driving technologies that are expected to dominate the transportation sector around the world in the future.

 
If we look at the field of self-driving vehicles in the past few years, we will find a lot of momentum and investment, led by tech giants such as Google and Tesla, with the former seeking to provide a fully autonomous option that can go on the roads soon, while Tesla is gradually releasing some self-driving capabilities to owners its cars via AutoPilot, and its ultimate goal is to enable fully autonomous driving in the near future.
Even the famous Uber began exploring this technology in the past years, before selling its self-driving division to another company in late 2020.

 
With the development of autonomous driving technologies and the acceleration of innovations in this field, some developed countries have begun to explore the prospects of these technologies and how to benefit from them in serving citizens, and the UAE is a pioneer in developing infrastructure and harnessing technologies to improve the quality of life. In terms of self-driving technology, it has surpassed countries such as the United Kingdom and Denmark, and is one of the top ten countries open to self-driving.

 
This trend is part of the UAE's goals to improve air purity and reduce carbon emissions by 2030.

 
Autonomous driving reduces resource consumption
Research indicates that the number of vehicles on UAE roads at peak hours reaches 3 million, and with the application of self-driving technologies and artificial intelligence, it is expected to enhance efficiency in resource consumption and reduce traffic jams.

 
Studies from the research institutions (BCG) and (HSG) reveal that the application of self-driving technology can contribute to reducing traffic by 4%, consumption of energy resources by 12%, and reducing transportation costs by 13%.
Self-driving organization
As with any new technology, there are many problems that can arise, and in the case of self-driving, the risks are greater because it concerns people's lives.

 
For this reason, it is necessary to enact strict legislation and provide comprehensive insurance that respects all safety standards, to reduce risks as much as possible and ensure the safety of people inside vehicles and on the roads, according to a study from Neckermann.

 
Without a doubt, this self-driving technology will revolutionize all sectors - especially the automotive sector - and reduce fuel consumption, but transforming self-driving into a daily reality requires ensuring its efficiency first.

   
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About Al Masaood Automobiles:
Al Masaood Automobiles has been the exclusive distributor of Nissan, Infiniti and Renault cars in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for more than 36 years. The company provides its customers with a wide range of car models, including SUVs, luxury cars, saloons and commercial vehicles, which meet the needs of a wide range of customers from individuals, companies and government agencies. Al Masaood Automobiles enjoys a distinguished presence and a leading position in the automotive sector. The company has previously won many prestigious awards from the elite car manufacturers globally, most notably the “Nissan International Award” in 2013 and 2019; And the “Renault Dealership Global Award” (P.A.R.I.S. Global Challenge) for 2019.

 
With its continued successes, the company was able to obtain the “Nissan Award for Excellence” from Nissan, in recognition of its outstanding performance and ability to promote innovation within its various operations during the fiscal year 2020. Al Masaood Automobiles adopts the concept of technological innovation as a corporate culture and work methodology to ensure that it continues to provide the best services. customers and exceed their expectations. Al Masaood Automobiles also received the “Infiniti Outstanding Performance Award” for the fiscal year 2020 in recognition of its efficiency in promoting innovation concepts, and for taking quick steps and qualitative solutions through which it was able to achieve excellence, and succeed in adapting to the exceptional circumstances caused by the Corona pandemic.