Dubai Municipality has begun testing a self-driving electric vehicle designed for cleaning bicycle paths along Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim beaches. This smart sweeper, equipped with advanced technology like smart sensors to dodge obstacles, is set to boost productivity significantly compared to manual cleaning.
The self-driving vehicle can operate continuously for eight hours on a single charge, with a top speed of 40kph in standard mode, and it's environmentally friendly with minimal carbon emissions. Dubai Municipality is introducing this technology as part of its commitment to maintaining the cleanliness and sustainability of all tourist destinations in Dubai, including public beaches. It aims to enhance its attractiveness and appeal by harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as automated and electric vehicles.
Earlier this year, Dubai Municipality introduced five high-tech, large sweepers to clean around 2,250km of roads in Dubai daily. They've expanded their automated waste management fleet, which initially had 752 vehicles, by adding various automated sweepers, road cleaning tools, shredders, and equipment for handling large-scale agricultural waste, among other improvements.
Dubai Municipality has deployed a team of 12 staff to monitor 72 cleaners working around the clock to maintain the cleanliness of the city's public beaches. Additionally, they provided the team with 13 new tools and equipment to enhance communication and response time during emergencies.