From smart policing driven by artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous racing vehicles and flying cars, to a lineup of next-generation solutions, GITEX Global 2024 displayed the weird and wonderful.
Taking place this week at Dubai World Trade Centre, GITEX Global is the world’s largest tech event. This year marks its 44th instalment, with tens of thousands of visitors, over 6 500 exhibitors, 1 800 start-ups, 1 200 investors and governments from more than 180 countries attending the show.
This year’s event saw the highest international participation at GITEX Global to date – comprising enterprises, experts, investors, start-ups, academia, researchers and the global tech ecosystem.
Other than futuristic innovations, key issues focusing on AI advancement, cyber security, policies and technological evolution were discussed during the many sessions hosted at the event.
The concept of flying cars is not new for the ultra-cosmopolitan Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In 2017, the UAE city revealed its plans to have a fleet of autonomous flying people-carriers fully operational in future. The Autonomous Air Taxi (AAT), created by German company Volocopter, was on show at GITEX that year.
The AAT project is part of Dubai's 2030 Autonomous Transport Strategy, which aims to transform 25% of Dubai's total mobility to self-driving transport by 2030.
Similarly, futuristic and flying cars were on display this year, as telecoms company Etisalat& (e&) showcased what it said were some of the most interesting prototypes.
One of the highlights was the XPeng AeroHT eVTOL flying car, which enabled audiences to discover how such innovations represent a historic opportunity to revolutionise aviation and personal transportation.
An official on the sidelines in the hall where the car is displayed said XPeng manufactures electric vehicles. While the eVTOL flying car is now only a concept, the idea is to produce it after 2030. It’s anticipated it will be hybrid, blending both a car driven on the road and one that flies. When it’s in the drive mode, the wings can be folded in the middle.
At the tech event, attendees also witnessed the future of mobility, as Abu Dhabi Police unveiled its autonomous 4x4 bulletproof patrol vehicle, the ‘Magnum MK1’.
With a 1.5-tonne payload capacity, the car is designed for patrolling, surveillance and secure transport of detainees, and can reach top speeds of 150km/h.
It has advanced surveillance features, including 360-degree camera coverage, and a bespoke prisoner cell and monitoring system.
In the same hall, the Dubai Police displayed various tech-influenced policing solutions, including a virtual police officer, tourist police digital twin, as well as its own police-branded Tesla Cybertruck.
Abu Dhabi government entity − the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) − displayed its upgraded EAV24, the next-generation autonomous race car. The vehicle is set to hit the Yas Marina Circuit track in April’s Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, centred around AI innovation.
The model is made of sustainable bio-composite materials and features a sleek design inspired by digital algorithms and AI-driven data patterns.
ATRC also owns VentureOne, the commercialisation arm that turns applied research from the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) into commercial products and solutions that address industry challenges worldwide, according to a statement.
Reda Nidhakou, acting CEO of VentureOne, says: “VentureOne is dedicated to bringing the TII’s tech to market through ambitious tech ventures – from research to reality, and from Abu Dhabi to the world.”
Also showcased was TII’s Falcon generative large language model (LLM), which aims to advance applications and use to future-proof the world.
TII is driving generative AI, with the Falcon 180B as one of its super-powerful large language models, which is said to be at the top of the Hugging Face Leaderboard for pre-trained open LLMs.
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