Qatar could be one of the first countries to have fully autonomous electric minibusses transporting the community safely without a driver — a significant step towards innovation and sustainability.
Transport Minister Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti attended a test operation conducted by Mowasalat (Karwa) in co-operation with Yutong, a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles, Doha News reports.
The months-long test aims to evaluate the sustainable and high-tech electric minibusses, which can run autonomously without a need for a driver.
The buses are equipped with advanced technology to ensure complete safety, including several radars, lidars, and advanced cameras that allow the vehicle to recognize all surroundings and react accordingly when motion. The electric minibusses can fully operate without a driver.
This allows the bus to navigate the road safely, providing a high degree of visibility at up to 250m of range. Although a driver is not needed, one can be present as a backup to handle emergencies.
Dubbed as the current, most advanced, the technology helps enhance safety on roads while incorporating sustainability for a better and greener future.
Each minibus has a capacity for eight passengers and can travel up to 40km per hour. Its battery can last up to 100km per single full battery and takes roughly an hour and a half to reach full charge.
If test operations are successful, Qatar could be one of the first countries globally to deploy such a transit system, authorities said.
“The strategy backs the country’s agenda for a green future by contributing to striking an economic-environmental balance in a way that ensures the sustainability of transportation sector’s infrastructure projects,” the ministry said in a statement.
This can also help modernize the modes of “transportation through deploying alternative, clean energy in step with latest universal eco-friendly systems to reduce harmful carbon emissions and, therefore, create a clean, healthy and safe environment for generations to come,” the statement added.
Minister Witnesses Level 4 Fully Autonomous Electric Minibuses Test Operation
Read more: https://t.co/0As9WY191H pic.twitter.com/dPeaz7gYoh
— Ministry of Transport 🇶🇦 وزارة المواصلات (@MOTQatar) October 31, 2021
The minister has also visited Karwa and was briefed on the company’s operational plan for the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021, which is set to kick off on 30 November.
The first batch of electric buses will be deployed for the tournament to serve fans attending the event.
This comes in line with the country’s plan to provide safe, reliable, and accessible transportation facilities during the FIFA World Cup 2022, with electric buses set to be used as the primary mode of service during the tournament.
Over the past few years, authorities in Qatar have been working towards transforming public transportation to full-electric, including public bus services, government school buses, and Doha Metro’s buses.
This aims to reduce harmful carbon emissions caused by conventional buses in less than a decade from now and maintain environmental sustainability.
A year from now, almost 25% of the public transit bus fleet in Qatar is expected to become electric, while by 2030, most of the buses and public transportation will gradually become electric.
An integrated network of electric car chargers is also being integrated across the country to gradually support the ministry’s plan to transform the electric transport system.
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Qatar plans to convert 25% of public transport to electric in 2022 – just in time for the World Cup – with 100% expected by 2030. You may read more here.
