Free wifi and parking app among plans to transform Dubai into a ‘smart city’

[Al Bhatti]

March 5, 2014

Free wifi and parking app among plans to transform Dubai into a ‘smart city’

Free wifi across the city, a network of charging stations for electric cars and an app that directs motorists to available parking spaces are some of the initiatives that will turn Dubai into a ‘smart city’ within the next three years.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, ruler of Dubai, reviewed plans from various government departments at a conference held today in the city including wifi in all public parks, buses and taxis and creating an infrastructure to create charging stations for electric vehicles.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced it will implement a smart parking system that informs motorists as they enter a street if there are parking spaces available, while the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will install smart meters so customers can monitor their utility consumption in real time and take measures to conserve water and energy.

“Six months ago we announced a new chapter for Dubai,” said Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs. “Sheikh Mohammed said that the government and the city must be transformed into a smart city, and he gave us three years to accomplish this feat.

“We have to transform thousands of government electronic services and make them smart services that everyone can access from anywhere on their phones. The challenge is to create awareness among the public when we launch these services for them to be able to use them easily and effectively.”


Free wifi and parking app among plans to transform Dubai into a Smart City | The National

 

[Al Bhatti]

June 4, 2014

UAE banks to roll out Mobile Wallet
Digital payment solutions will combine the latest technology and banking security standards

The UAE Banks Federation (UBF) on Wednesday formally launched the implementation of the Mobile Wallet project.
The project, comprehensive digital payment solution, first unveiled in February, has been developed by a special committee of nine member banks under the Chairmanship of Tirad Al Mahmoud, CEO of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.

The project is expected to be implemented over next year in a number of phases. The UBF is co-ordinating the project with banks such as Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Adib, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Standard Chartered and First Gulf Bank.

The Mobile Wallet is the financial component of the Smart Government initiative. Smart Government has identified over 90 services provided by government departments requiring digital payment. The Mobile Wallet has been designed to allow these to be made from a purpose-designed platform that interfaces with all banks operating in the UAE.

“The Mobile Wallet supports a critical national goal. The UAE will be potentially the first country in the world where the whole banking sector supports such a programme, which will impact everyone’s daily lives in one way or another,” said Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of the UAE Banks Federation.


Digital devices

The project also incorporates the facility for smart phones and other digital devices to be used for cashless purchasing in UAE retail and other outlets, as well as a means to store and transfer money. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), around 5.2 million phones are expected to be sold this year in the UAE, out of which around 3.5 million are likely to be smartphones.

MasterCard’s recent ‘Cashless Journey’ study indicated that in the Middle East, the UAE is moving fastest away from cash. The study, which looked into how 33 countries are close to becoming cashless markets, found that non-cash transactions in the country account for 26 per cent of consumers payments by value, compared to 19 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

One of the key objectives of the project is to make banking more inclusive and provide financial services to the unbanked segment of population. In future phases of the project, the Mobile Wallet will be available to visitors to the UAE.

“We strongly believe that the popularity of the system will be driven by the uptake of users, and the ease of payment and intuitiveness of the system which supports it. Additionally, the system has been designed to make usage available to all levels of society, including those who do not have bank accounts,” Tirad Al Mahmoud, CEO of Adib and Chairman of the UAE Banks Federation committee working on the Smart Wallet.

UAE banks to roll out Mobile Wallet | GulfNews.com

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June 4, 2014

What is a Mobile Wallet?
Term refers to two sets of accounts, one with stored value on it and another which is merely a payment interface facility without any stored value

Between now and end of 2015, the UAE is expected to become the first country in the world that will have a fully integrated digital payment platform supported by all banks operating in the country.

The UAE Banks Federation on Wednesday formally launched the implementation of its Mobile Wallet project that was announced in February this year.

What is a mobile wallet? It is usually an account connected to a mobile phone number. Broadly speaking there are two types of wallets.

The first is a mobile wallet with a stored value on it, for example, savings in combination with other features such as payments and a loyalty card.

The money can be transferred to the mobile account either through an agent cash in, a transfer from other wallet user or a bank account/card connected to the mobile.

This stored value represents electronic money that can be transferred between wallets, internationally or used to purchase goods or services.

Another type of mobile wallet is a payment interface wallet that does not hold any stored value. This could be a solution where multiple existing debit/credit cards together with access keys, loyalty cards, etc, are managed but the money available on the different cards is handled outside of the wallet.

For the “unbanked” this is usually the first financial service reducing cash dependency and opening up for savings, insurances, micro loans and the like. For the advanced markets, some examples could be money transfers (domestic and international), family accounts, bill payments and merchant payments.

What is a Mobile Wallet? | GulfNews.com

------------------------------------


Dear Mods,

Can you please amend the title of the thread to “UAE moving towards smart government”.

The purpose of this thread is to share with fellow members how UAE in general and Dubai specially is moving towards smart government and maybe some of these can be implemented in Pakistan or help people to get new ideas out of these and implement in Pakistan or in any other country.

 

[50cent]

cool another solid reason for moving to dubai

 

[Al Bhatti]

June 17, 2014

Shake your phone to book a taxi in Dubai
RTA’s Smart Taxi smartphone app goes live on Tuesday

Booking a taxi in Dubai is now as easy as shaking your mobile phone after the launch of the Roads and Transport Authority’s Smart Taxi app.

The new mobile application, live on Android phones from Tuesday, allows a user to shake their phone to book the taxi. The app then locates the customer and sends an instant message to the nearest taxi driver.

Alternatively, passengers can also book a taxi through the app by manually sending a message. Customers can then monitor the booking, track the movement of taxi and look for the shortest route.

Passengers can also give their feedback about the service and rate the taxi driver through the app.

The app will go live on Apple’s App Store next week before launching on other platforms in the coming weeks. The initiative is part of Dubai’s march towards becoming a smart city in the next few years.

“This is the smartest and the best way to book a taxi as this will reduce time taken by customers to call the dispatch centre and connect the customers directly with the nearest driver,” said Dr. Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency.

Shake your phone to book a taxi in Dubai | GulfNews.com

 

[Al Bhatti]

June 26, 2014

Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri and other GDRFA officials launching the new smartphone application in Dubai on Thursday.



Dubai launches mobile app for applying for, renewing and cancelling visa
In the long run, your smart phone or tablet may as good as your passport

The General Directorate of Foreigners and Residents Affairs (GDFRA) Dubai has launched a new smart phone application that can help UAE nationals, residents and companies to avail of a number of services without visiting the immigration office.

Launching the smart phone application which now available for download, Major General Mohammed Ahmad Al Marri, director of GDFRA, said the new smart phone application will, among other things, enable residents, nationals and companies alike to apply for new visas for themselves, their families or employees, renew or cancel an existing visa and save the time needed for visiting service centres.

With smart phones becoming an integral part of techno-savvy residents in the UAE, more such innovative applications are in the pipeline, according to GDFRA officials.

Maj. Gen. Al Marri said, in the first phase, GDFRA will facilitate online visa or other document processing using smart phones for UAE nationals, residents and companies. Without the involvement of any manpower, the visa processing can be done within a few minutes and the service will be available 24 hours.

Dubai government aims to make government services available quickly and efficiently with the help of smart phones or tablets.

While in the first phase the GDFRA smart phone application will facilitate visa renewal and new visa application processing within five minutes, in the second phase 29 services from the department will be available through the new app.

The smart phone app can also be used for transactions with the Ministry of Labour.

“Residents can download the smart phone application and register their names with GDFRA. After registration, they will get an authentication code using their National Identification Card Number. The authentication code keeps changing and it is not possible to copy or misuse the system. It is very secure and residents or travelers can activate a barcode with their profile details on their mobile phones application to enter and exit the country through several e-gates and smart gates at the airport. The system will ease visa on arrival facility for international passengers,” Al Marri said.

Using the smart phone camera or scanner, users can send their photos and scanned copies of documents for processing.

By logging into the GDFRA application, a citizen or resident can review and update his profile. If everything is fine, there will be a green circle around the profile. If a resident’s visa is not renewed on time or visas of employees or dependents have expired, there will be a red circle around the user’s profile, alerting the user to clear the file.

Demonstrating the new app in front of journalists, UAE residents can log into the system and check the expiry date of their maid servant’s visa or visas of foreign wives, Captain Salim bin Ali, Customer Section Manager, said.

There are about 100 e-gates in Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport and 14 smart gates in Terminal 3, through which travelers with the authorised mobile phone application can pass through after activating the barcodes.

“All residents can download the application and login to the system and update their basic information, especially the mobile phone numbers. Many residents have their company PRO’s mobile numbers which need to be updated. Each resident’s profile will be available online and by using a user name and password, they can verify what documents are not clear. After completing the processing through the smart phone application, customers can do the physical stamping of visa with the help of a courier service from the nearest service centre.

“Residents can renew their visas within five minutes and using the smart phone or tablet they can enter the UAE through smart gates. The visa fees can be paid through Visa or MasterCard,” Captain Bin Ali said.

There will be a month-long campaign to promote the new application with regular raffle draws including a grand raffle draw for a new car.

In the long run, a smart phone or tablet may as good as your passport.

Dubai launches mobile app for applying for, renewing and cancelling visa - Emirates 24/7

 

[Al Bhatti]

October 26, 2014

App for UAE passport renewal service 'live'
Ministry has provided call centre to provide assistance

The UAE Ministry of Interior has introduced the passport renewal service via smartphones to allow UAE nationals to avail of this service anywhere, any time; without the hassle of visiting the service centres except for special cases that require personal presence.

Major-General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports, will save ample and precious time for citizens and ensure accuracy and safety of their transactions.

Major-General Al Khaili explained that citizens can follow simple steps to avail the Ministry of Interior’s application UAE MoI to renew their passports.

He added that the service will be made available for all society segments with revamped procedures, in line with the ministry’s strategy aimed at streamlining and facilitating the service provision in a safe manner, using the person’s identity card through quick and easy steps.

When in doubt

Adding further, he noted that the ministry has provided a call centre to provide assistance to members of the public, and respond to their inquiries on 8005000 during official work hours; via email on mobile@moi.gov.ae, and via the e-services e-mail: eservices@moi.gov.ae.

Fees automatically deducted

In the same context, Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi, Head of Naturalization Department at the Ministry of Interior’s Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs sector, said that the passport renewal service is available for citizens via the smart application platform.

Fees are automatically deducted and passports will be sent to citizens wherever they are.

He said, “These applications can be downloaded via the app store according to the phone OS version and support all mobile devices and tablets platforms.”

In conclusion, he called on customers to avail of the government services available quickly and efficiently through smart applications.

App for UAE passport renewal service 'live' - Emirates 24/7

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October 26, 2014

Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, handed the child, Mira, a certificate of appreciation along with a commemorative gift, wishing her good luck and excellence.

Child honoured for using Ministry of Interior smartphone application
Emirati Mira isthe first applicant to use the smartphone service to renew her passport

The first customer and citizen of the UAE to use the Ministry of Interior’s smartphone application service to renew her passport was honoured today in the capital.

Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, handed the child, Mira, a certificate of appreciation along with a commemorative gift, wishing her good luck and excellence.

Major General Al Khaili said, “The smartphone application services save time and effort for UAE citizens. These convenient applications embody the strategy of the ministry by achieving and providing the highest levels of secure services to customers who need only use their Emirates ID and follow the easy, simple, and quick steps. This strategy aims to improve performance indicators and guarantee fast services by providing updates for the smart applications to add more services and simplify procedures.”

The ceremony was attended by Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi, Head of Naturalisation Department at the Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs Sector.

Child honoured for using Ministry of Interior smartphone application | GulfNews.com

 

[Al Bhatti]

January 19, 2015

MoI launches electronic vehicle registration
To be available to all patrols through smartphones and tablets gradually

Ministry of Interior has launched electronic vehicle registration across the UAE. The MoI will launch an awareness campaign to educate public about the methods and use of e-registration, said Major-General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Chairman, Ministry’s E-transformation Higher Committee, MoI.

The service is available on the Ministry’s smart applications UAE MOI as well as patrols’ UTS federal traffic and registration system applications, he said and added that technical team has trained policemen across the UAE on how to use the electronic vehicle registration.

He explained that it will be made available to some employees, and will gradually become available to all patrols through smartphones and tablets.

Brigadier Ghaith Hassan Al Zaabi, Director-General, Traffic Coordination Department, MoI, said the ministry will start fulfilling all the regulatory conditions of the e-transformation throughout all of the Ministry’s documents in regards to traffic across the UAE. “Once completed, this will allow the public to avail the services at all times – regardless of their location or the time of day,” he said.

First Lieutenant Mohammed Darwish Al Balouki, Head of Technical Team in charge of developing MoI’s smart applications, said: “Users of the Ministry’s applications UAE MOI can now view all vehicles registered under their name by accessing the Traffic Section followed by Registered Vehicles. By pressing the plate number, the application allows the user to view an electronic copy of the registration - which is considered a copy of the manual registration - and can be presented when needed.”

He also pointed out that the policemen are provided with “UTS”-backed applications on their smartphones, which help provide electronic registrations, drivers’ licences, and all of the information needed to facilitate patrolling procedures.

Information Security and Confidentiality

According to Colonel Barakat Al Kindy, Chairman of the Ministry of Interior’s E-transformation Committee, the 339 public services provided by the Ministry of Interior have been exclusively available only through service centers. These services are now being transformed from E-services to smart services and are in accordance with the Information Security and Confidentiality Policy, as per the private nature of the information pertaining to citizens and residents, and private and public organisations. The services are seamlessly provided across all electronic communication channels, and are in accordance with the standards of the federal government.

MoI launches electronic vehicle registration - Emirates 24/7




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January 18, 2015


Intersec 2015: Smart lamp posts to help report emergencies
Pillars with solar-powered devices will be installed in silicon oasis for trials

A Smart Guidance Pillar, which allows members of the public to report emergencies with the click of a button will be installed in Dubai soon, said a senior official at the Intersec on Sunday.
The smart guidance pillars (lamp posts) will inititally be installed by Dubai Civil Defence and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) in the DSOA area on a trial basis and then in other part of the city. The new device was on display at Intersec 2015 on Sunday.

Intersec 2015 was inaugurated by Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and will run from January 18-20 in Dubai. Intersec is considered the world’s largest security, safety, and fire protection trade show, as it features 1,237 exhibitors from 54 countries with more than 2,000 brands.

The Smart Guidance Pillar is a solar-powered lamp post, which has a camera, an emergency button, an intercom-like device and an electronic signboard. Colonel Rashid Bin Massam Al Buflaseh, Civil Defence General-Director’s Office Manager, told Gulf News that the pillar will be tried out in its first phase within Silicon Oasis.


“The pillar (like a lampost) will not only provide light but it will allow the public to report any emergencies with the click of a button. People can report things like a traffic accident, a fire or even a suspicious vehicle or seek assistance,” he said.

He added that after the trial phase, it is planned that these lamp post swill have direct links with the operations rooms of Dubai Police and the Civil Defence.

Girish Parokode, Senior Associate Manager of Automation and Security Systems at DSOA, said that the trial phase will see 100 of these pillars installed in the DSOA free zone community.

“They will be installed as part of the Smart City initiative, and will initially only be connected to the DSOA operations room during the trial phase.”

No exact date was given for the completion of the trial phase.

The lamp post provides 24/7 live video footage to the operation room it is linked to.

When the emergency button is pressed and the link is established, the person can talk to operations room personnel through the intercom, and the operations room receives the exact coordinates of the person so they can respond to the emergency.

“The electronic signboard can be programmed to transmit any message. We can transmit the same message to all the boards, or choose to send different message to different boards.” Parokode said, explaining that the boards will be useful to send instructional messages to people.

Intersec 2015 is held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour and is supported by Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, and the Dubai Police Academy.

Analysts have found that the global security market continues to grow by 5.5 per cent annually, however, the demand in the Middle East is estimated to be double that, as regional governments spend heavily on surveillance systems to protect against threats of crime, smuggling and illegal immigration. This is expected to push up the sales of network surveillance systems by 89 per cent by 2016 according to global analysts Frost and Sullivan.

Intersec 2015: Smart lamp posts to help report emergencies | GulfNews.com

 

[Al Bhatti]

February 14, 2015

Google self-driving car

RTA embarks on study of using driverless cars
Project part of RTA’s endeavours to use latest technology in the field of smart mobility solutions to be considered for use in Expo 2020

Driverless vehicles could soon be travelling alongside you on the city’s roads as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the commissioning of a study on using ‘autonomous cars’ in Dubai.

Autonomous cars (driverless cars) are the latest developments of global smart mobility systems, and this technology is based on electric vehicles fitted with smart sensors to enhance the safety element and avoid crashes.

The project comes as part of the RTA’s endeavours to use the latest technology in the field of smart mobility solutions to be considered for use in Expo 2020.

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said, “The RTA has set up a team for studying the use of autonomous cars (driverless vehicles) to map out a strategy and a work plan for addressing the latest developments in this field, and identifying the standards and specifications required in these vehicles along with the needed infrastructure and safety legislations. In this context, the RTA has approached a host of international manufacturers of smart vehicles to examine technological alternatives on offer, and plan for real-life experiments for using such vehicles in Dubai under the supervision of the RTA.”

Al Tayer said that a delegation from the RTA has visited a number of European countries to examine the latest models undertaken by smart cities across the globe in the field of smart mobility.

“The team has also visited some businesses and manufacturers of smart vehicles to check the best international practices of this line of industry, and review the latest studies and researches published by key specialist international research centres in this regard.

“The smart vehicle has multi-operational techniques as it can operate within moving vehicles’ environment without necessarily requiring connectivity with the control centre. Examples of this include ceasing motion in the event of traffic disruption, and perceiving the road condition as well as traffic signals, and pedestrian movement, among others,” Al Tayer said.

Such electricity-powered smart vehicles can make a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions, saving fuel consumption, and improving smart mobility which, in turn, contributes to transforming Dubai into a smart city.

“The vehicle can also be operated via an automated internet-based control system where it can be fully controlled by a control centre without requiring a driver. In this regard smart vehicles can be programmed to lift passengers by moving in pre-designated lanes to feed public transport stations and link with vital centres with the aim of alleviating the need for private vehicles, mitigating road congestion, easing the huge demand of parking spaces, and eliminating environmental pollution and the waste of resources. Smart vehicles will provide mobility solutions to all users, even those who are unable to drive, which will ultimately ease the mobility of Dubai residents and visitors, and improve the mobility of services on offer,” added Al Tayer.

Al Tayer said the initiative is being adopted in implementation of the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to endorse 2015 as a year of innovation in the UAE, in addition to the launch of a comprehensive national strategy with the aim of ranking the UAE in the first position worldwide in the field of innovation.

RTA embarks on study of using driverless cars | GulfNews.com

 

[Al Bhatti]

February 24, 2015

Drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi for just Dh2
Shopping malls and restaurants in Dubai likely to install electric vehicle charging stations

Travelling in the UAE is set to become even cheaper very soon as driving down from Dubai to Abu Dhabi could cost just Dh2 – thanks to introduction of electrical vehicles (EV) in Dubai.

The efforts to make Dubai a smart city and environment-friendly are being made at all governmental levels including Dewa, RTA and Ministry of Environment.

Dubai will soon get its first electric vehicle charge stations at the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) headquarters, with the utility planning 100 such EV charging stations across the emirate by April 2015.

Hakim Boutehra, Renault Middle East Managing Director, says talks are ongoing with Dubai government departments with regard to the launch of the recharge stations, legal requirements, technical specifications and suppliers for the stations.

Mark Carson, Senior Manager for Dubai Technical Hub and Field Quality at Renault GCC, says it costs just Dh2 to fully recharge an electric vehicle in Dubai at home, and it can travel up to 160km once fully charged. Carson added that a car can be fully charged in just 30 minutes at a charging station. In Europe, he said, it costs only one euro to fully charge the vehicle.

In December 2014, Dewa and Tecom Investments signed an agreement to develop and invest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, smart meters and grids. As a pilot project, Tecom had started implementing initiatives for electric vehicle charging, smart meters and grids in Dubai Design District.

“If you have infrastructure in place across the country, then there is no issue with the charging of the vehicle,” Carson said, adding that “owning an electric vehicle is highly cost efficient as you just need to check tyre pressure and brakes. You don’t have to worry about oil change or filling gas. My car bill is just Dh80-90 a month – that shows how cost efficient electric vehicles are.”

Commenting about insurance for electric vehicles, he said companies in the UAE are offering insurance for these vehicles at the same rate as other sedan cars.

Boutehra said the installation of charging stations used to cost around $3,000 to $4,000 (Dh11,000 to Dh14,500) around two years ago but it might be different now with advancements in technology.

Boutehra said it’s not just the governments that have installed recharging stations in Europe, but also the shopping malls and restaurants have put in place stations in order to attract customers.

And he believes shopping malls, big restaurants in Dubai will have to install electric vehicle charging stations in order to increase footfall.

“Customers will be interested in going to those malls where they are able to charge their vehicles so the malls will have to install these charging stations,” he added.

“Governments in Europe have subsidised purchasing electric vehicles which will help the industry to grow. The governments in Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and other countries subsidised the vehicle purchasing. For example, if a vehicle costs 20,000 euros the government help with the subsidy of nearly 6,000 euros,” said Boutehra.

Renault has also tested its electric cars Zeo and Twizy in the UAE over the last one year and is positive about its prospects in the UAE. The company has already sold 65 units of Twizy in the emirates and will soon start selling Zeo across the emirates.

Drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi for just Dh2 - Emirates 24|7

 

[Al Bhatti]

February 25, 2015

It may resemble a conventional fill-up, but this driver at the electric car charging station at Dewa’s headquarters in Dubai is putting something a little different in his ‘tank’.

Electric car charging stations launched in Dubai

Drivers of eco-friendly electric cars can now plug into a network of 16 charging stations around the emirate.

The silent vehicles cars are a rarity on the roads, but they could soon be a far more common sight after the launch of the public charging stations at a dozen Dubai Electricity and Water Authority offices, with one at Dubai Silicon Oasis and 3 more ready to use next month.

The authority plans to roll out another 84 charging stations by the year-end based on demand in malls, airports, government offices and near residential communities. A full recharge is expected to take around two to four hours.

“We have provided this infrastructure and taken the initiative to bring this to the country,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Dewa’s chief executive.

“This is the start of Dewa implementing a pioneering electric vehicle charging station infrastructure initiative. It is an important step towards achieving the objectives of a sustainable smart city and transforming Dubai into the smartest city in the world.”

The authority had budgeted Dh10 million for the 100 charging stations.

“We had budgeted Dh10 million but now we are floating the tender and will get the prices so then we will know the cost,” said Waleed Salman, Dewa’s executive vice president of strategy and business development.

A charge will take between 2-4 or 6-8 hours. In phase two, fast charging stations will be added at petrol stations taking just 30 minutes.

Like in Europe and the US, the authority estimates most users will plug in their cars overnight in their home’s garage, usually taking 6-8 hours to charge the battery fully.

Motorists can obtain Dewa cards for use at public charging stations and this, along with home charging costs, can be paid with monthly Dewa bills.

Those without existing Dewa accounts can obtain an ID card and pay post-paid fees as per consumption.

“Most cars will be charged at home and during the day if they find the battery is low, they will go to the closest charging station,” Mr Salman said.

Despite the low cost of petrol in the UAE, officials are confident electric cars will catch on.

“It’s cheaper to go with electric because there is no maintenance, only replacement of tyres, and so you will spend 50 per cent less on maintenance than for a normal car.

“It depends on the car but roughly if you drive 100km it may cost you Dh3. We are not looking at only today but at 2020 and 2030 we will see a big number of electric cars in the region.”

There are several registered electric car users in the UAE, Mr Salman said, but he could not provide figures.

BMW’s i8 plug-in hybrid sports car has been available in the UAE since last year while the fully electric Renault Zoe will soon be available and Nissan is also testing electric cars in the Emirates.

Toyota’s Camry hybrid vehicles are being used by Cars Taxi in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Stations located at the Dewa head office near Wafi mall and Sustainable Building in Al Quoz are solar powered. Other sites include Dewa offices in Al Wasl, Al Hudaiba, Burj Nahar, Umm Ramool, Jebel Ali and another in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The three stations due to begin operation next month include another at Dubai Silicon Oasis and two in Dubai Design District. Each station can simultaneously charge two vehicles.

“The inauguration of the first electric vehicle charging station in Dubai is a momentous occasion for Dubai,” said Stathis Stathis, managing director of AGMC.

Part of the government’s smart, clean city drive, the launch will attract more manufacturers to Dubai, officials believe.

“It will not be an issue for us to cater even to 200-300 customers,” said Majid Ali Hilal, Dewa manager. “Since we launched the initiative, people are already asking us about it and the infrastructure will soon be ready.”

How to use

Place Dewa card on scanner

Plug one end of the charging cable to your vehicle and other end of the cable to the charging station

To stop, place card on scanner, unplug cable from charging station and from vehicle

Charges will be as per normal tariff of 29.5fils per kilowatt

Driving 100km will cost roughly Dh3, but can vary per car

Time taken to charge can take between 2-4 hours or 6-8 hours

Fast charging stations to be added at petrol stations to take 30 minutes

Electric car charging stations launched in Dubai | The National

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People at the official inauguration of the first Electric-Vehicle Charging Station at the DEWA Headquarters, Dubai.

Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), during the launch along with other senior government officials, at the official inauguration of the first Electric-Vehicle Charging Station at the DEWA Headquarters, Dubai.

People at the official inauguration of the first Electric-Vehicle Charging Station at the DEWA Headquarters, Dubai.

 

[Al Bhatti]

April 4, 2015

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, inaugurated the Makani (My location) initiative for geographic address systems that was completed by the Dubai Municipality.

Hamdan launches My Location initiative
Hamdan stresses that the transition to a smart city model requires the development of applications and intelligent services

In line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Duba, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, inaugurated the Makani (My location) initiative for geographic address systems that was completed by the Dubai Municipality.

The first of its kind in the world, the system will enable users to reach different locations across Dubai with great precision. The new Smart System receives its coordinates directly from satellites that provide various forms of information regarding access to buildings and installations.

During his meeting with the project’s work team, Shaikh Hamdan placed the digital address plate of Emirates Towers on the building’s wall.

Shaikh Hamdan said, “We are keen to launch quality initiatives that contribute to the achievement of the vision of Shaikh Mohammad to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world and demonstrate our seriousness in creating a global role model of a smart city.

“We always focus on providing innovative solutions for achieving happiness for both residents and visitors,” he added. “These solutions are linked to the details of their daily life and how to facilitate it. Since the announcement of the initiative to transform Dubai into the smartest city across the globe, the world is watching the emirate to make its experience a standard measure.”

Shaikh Hamdan emphasised that the transition to a smart city model requires the development of applications and intelligent services, along with a qualitative change in engineering and finding the best digital infrastructure.

In a city which has 10 million tourists visit it annually and where more than 200 nationalities reside, such a system is much needed, Shaikh Hamdan said.

Hamdan launches My Location initiative |GulfNews.com




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April 05, 2015

Sheikh Hamdan noted that a smart geographic address system is key for Dubai.

Sheikh Hamdan at the launch

Hamdan launches Dubai's 'Makani' location app
Enables users to locate destinations in Dubai within an accuracy of one metre

In keeping with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into a smart city, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has launched the ‘Makani’ (My Location) smart application, the first-of-its-kind smart system for geographic addresses.

The new system, developed under Sheikh Hamdan's supervision for use by Dubai Municipality, enables users to locate different destinations in Dubai within an accuracy of one metre.

The smart system acquires real-time coordinates from satellites to provide detailed information about location and access points to different buildings and facilities by entering 10 unique numbers for each building entry.

During a meeting held with the Makani project team, Sheikh Hamdan said, "We aspire to launch unique initiatives that would help realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to transform Dubai into the world's smartest city."

"It takes more than development of smart applications and services to transform into a smart city.

It also needs a drastic change in procedures, data transfer mechanism and top-of-the-line digital infrastructure," he added.

Sheikh Hamdan noted that a smart geographic address system is key for Dubai, a city visited by over 10 million tourists a year and which hosts residents of over 200 nationalities.

Sheikh Hamdan issued directives to the Dubai Municipality to complete the 10-digit signs for Dubai buildings and access points in six months.

Hamdan launches Dubai's 'Makani' location app - Emirates 24|7

 

[Al Bhatti]

Apr 27, 2015

Smart policing to come Dubai with robo-cops

In the next two years robots will be used to bolster police forces patrolling malls and other public areas.

Dubai Police will be turning into “robo-cops” in the next few years. According to the Chief Information Officer and General Director of the Dubai Police HQ Smart Services Department, the move — that is part of the lead up to Expo 2020 — is aimed at helping the police deal with an ever-increasing populace.

Colonel Khalid Nasser Alrazooqi said that in the next two years robots will be used to bolster police forces patrolling malls and other public areas.

“The robots will interact directly with people and tourists,” he said. “They will include an interactive screen and microphone connected to the Dubai Police call centres. People will be able to ask questions and make complaints, but they will also have fun interacting with the robots.”

In four or five years, however, Alrazooqi said that Dubai Police will be able to field autonomous robots that require no input from human controllers.

“These will be fully intelligent robots that can interact with people, with no human intervention at all,” he said. “This is still under research and development, but we are planning on it.”

Alrazooqi said that the robots — part of Dubai’s Smart City Initiative — might provide a way of expanding police coverage to deal with the massive influx of people expected in Dubai for Expo 2020. “We are aiming to provide these kinds of services as the population is expanding,” he said. “This way we can provide better services without hiring more people.”

Alrazooqi was among the keynote speakers on the first day of the Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference that is being held in Dubai from April 26 to 28. It is the region’s only large-scale conference dedicated to cyber security threats and counter measures.

Smart policing to come Dubai with robo-cops - Yahoo Maktoob News






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23 April 2015

WiFi blooms in Dubai parks with charging points for smart gadgets
The first Smart Palm in Dubai went live at Gate 6 of Zabeel Park.

Visitors to major public parks in Dubai need no longer get disappointed if they do not have enough charge or data in their smartphones or tablets.

The Dubai Municipality on Wednesday launched the ‘Smart Palm’ project that offers park visitors free WiFi service along with charging points for smart gadgets, the first of its kind initiative in the Middle East.

Free WiFi to parks and beaches in Dubai was announced at Gitex in October last year.

The Smart Palm is a self-sustaining community tech hub, the structure of which is in the shape of a date palm. The six-metre high solar-powered structure has solar panels fixed on top of its frond-shaped roof. It also has an attached platform equipped with multiple charging points, designed to support both mobile phones and tablets.

The first Smart Palm in Dubai went live at Gate 6 of Zabeel Park. Speaking after the launch, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah said 52 more Solar Palms will be installed this year including on public beaches and major parks like Dubai Creek Park, Al Mamzar and Al Barsha Pond Park.

The Smart Palm provides an array of services for the public, including free WiFi from telecom company Du with up to a range of 53 metres, sustaining up to 50 users at any given time.

“Through Smart Palm, the public will be able to benefit from free direct access to the Internet while providing valuable public information covering a range of topics including weather forecasts and orientation guides. Most importantly, these structures are entirely self-sufficient, thanks to their mono-crystal solar panels, which provide up to 21 per cent efficiency,” Lootah said in a media statement.

There are eight charging points on each Smart Palm, offering extreme recharging capability, two and a half times faster than a regular plug, it added.

Mixed reactions

The news of parks and beaches going smart evoked mixed reactions from Dubai residents. “It’s great! I’m sure the youngsters like me will love it. I love taking selfies. We can share pics live from the park for free,” said Monica Mathias, who works as an accountant.

While many people welcomed the move, there were voices of opposition, as well.

Lalu Prabhakar, an operations manager at a trading firm, said such offers may tempt people to be glued to the Net even in parks where they should be disconnected from the virtual world and enjoying the natural beauty with family and friends. “That could be the only quality time you get with family sometimes. If you start chatting and surfing, why should you even go to the park,” he wondered.

But he said facilitating people to charge their phones in case of emergency is a good idea.

Faridoon AbdulRahman Mohammed, head of the Investment Section at the municipality told Khaleej Times that the platform structure of the Smart Palm can be used by visitors to sit and charge their gadgets.

He did not say if there will be any
time restrictions for visitors to use Wi-Fi connection or for charging their gadgets or what the system will be to control the crowd if there are too many users at a time. However, he said the company responsible for the project will also be in charge of managing the use of Solar Palms.

A brand conceived by private firm D IDEA, the Smart Palm project has companies such as Du, Sun Tab Solar Energy and Promo Tech Gulf Industry contributing towards the overall functionality of the product.

WiFi blooms in Dubai parks with charging points for smart gadgets - Khaleej Times

 

[Al Bhatti]

May 4, 2015

Dubai Police to wear body cameras

Plans to equip Dubai Police officers with small cameras on their chests are under way.

Dubai Police chief Maj Gen Khamis Al Muzeina said the small devices were precautionary, for the sake of transparency and could also record conversations between officers and civilians.

Cameras on officers have proven a success in other countries, such as in the US and UK.

“This is something we are studying right now,” Maj Gen Al Muzeina said. “We have great respect for police officers but this would just be precautionary and for the sake of transparency.

“It will also guarantee that everything we have taught officers is being implemented in the field.”

He added that the device would not be controlled by the officer themselves.

“It will be useful if a complaint is made against an officer or if someone said that they were not treated right when they were fined,” he said.

Dubai Police to wear body cameras | The National

 

[Al Bhatti]

With reference to Post 12