Sebastian Thrun

Lift-off for urban mobility: What the cities that got it right actually did

The provided excerpt frames successful urban mobility as a people-centered systems challenge rather than a simple technology upgrade. The host introduces the session by saying mobility transformation requires long-term decisions about streets, transport systems, and cities being designed around people. His Excellency Sheikh Naser Majid Alqasemi then sets out the UAE government’s perspective: development should be measured by its impact on citizens and residents, especially their security, mobility, and well-being. From the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure’s standpoint, better mobility depends on connected infrastructure, reliable clean energy, and coordination across transport systems. The keynote grounds this vision in specific national investments and targets. The UAE’s road network is presented as a foundation for daily journeys and inter-emirate connectivity, with more than 170 billion dirhams allocated to projects through 2030 to improve mobility between the Emirates and address congestion. The ministry’s stated target is to raise the efficiency of the federal road network to 73% by 2030. The keynote also connects urban mobility to electrification: UAE V Company is described as expanding the national electric vehicle charging network, while clean energy investments of 51.5 billion US dollars and a 6.1 billion US dollar solar-plus-battery project are positioned as essential to making electric mobility environmentally meaningful. The panel discussion then shifts from national infrastructure to how Abu Dhabi can reduce car trip dependency without assuming that residents will immediately stop owning or using cars. Doctor Abdulla Alghfeli explains that the Integrated Transport Center’s approach is built around five integrated programs: policies, micromobility, roads, public transport, and technology. He emphasizes reducing the number of trips and increasing alternatives rather than simply counting cars. Urban planning tools such as complete communities and school bus catchment policies are described as part of the same effort, alongside AI-enabled route analysis, mobility-as-a-service-style mapping, autonomous vehicles, air taxis, and a public transport backbone for a projected Abu Dhabi population of 4.9 million in 2040. Mohamed Karmastaji adds an operational view from Q Mobility, arguing that Abu Dhabi should build a model suited to its car-oriented reality rather than importing a European template. He describes parking regulation as an “intelligent layer” on top of car usage, with more than 250,000 parking lots managed between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain City and a 20% increase in one year. Pricing, forecasting technologies, and parking availability information are presented as tools to manage trip demand, reduce unnecessary circling, improve livability, and encourage people to consider ride-hailing, public transport, or being dropped off when driving would create hassle.