The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi has signed two agreements with the tech giant, Google in order to leverage AI data and technologies.
The agreements showcase UAE’s efforts that aim towards advancing the country’s key AI priorities in the fields of research and sustainability.
The announcement was made during an event at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), where the ITC disclosed the launch of two initiatives, one of them is Project Green Light.
An analytical system that utilizes AI techniques by collecting and analyzing traffic data at intersections and providing recommendations that improve the efficiency of traffic lights in the emirate to help reduce traffic congestion, and therefore reduce CO2 emissions.
As for the second initiative, Google’s AI Platform will be leveraged to analyze big data generated from Google Maps to forecast traffic and predict areas of traffic congestion, and develop proactive plans to minimize them.
The ITC will also receive real-time accurate data on the status of accidents and areas of traffic congestion from Google Maps.
According to the statement, both parties will cooperate on projects that utilize the power of AI in a manner that improves the quality of life in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and contributes to reducing pollution and enhances the overall well-being of the population through designing, planning and implementing innovative transportation and mobility solutions that meet the present and future needs of society.
Mr. Mohamed Hussain Karmastaji, Executive Director of the ITC’s ITS Sector, said that collaborating with Google will produce results that benefit road users in real-time. Project Green Light is a pilot project to develop an AI tool to harvest critical data on traffic conditions at intersections which will automatically optimize the efficiency of traffic light functions, helping to reduce vehicle congestion hot-spots and thus improve air quality across the emirate by lowering carbon emissions.
“Building AI responsibly must be a collective effort involving researchers, social scientists, industry experts, governments, and the public. There is so much we can accomplish, and so much we must get right together. We’re pleased to collaborate with partners in the UAE on research that will enhance Arabic representation in AI as we pursue sustainable development,” commented Mr. Karan Bhatia, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy at Google.
