UK consultancy Atkins has started advisory work for organising a competition in Dubai that will feature the world'’s top autonomous vehicle (AV) technology management and development providers.

No timeline has been specified for the competition, which will showcase the participants’ AV expertise.

MEED understands the winner in the competition will implement an AV trial in the emirate.

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is organising the competition.

RTA and Dubai Properties, a real estate developer, completed the trial run for a 10-seater driverless vehicle at Business Bay early this year.

Two previous trial runs were held in 2016 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, the latter in coordination with real estate developer Emaar.

The trial runs were meant to test the technologies underpinning the autonomous car under Dubai’'s climactic conditions while making the public aware about using the new mode of transport.

The RTA said in November last year that it is considering a broader deployment of autonomous vehicles along with establishing the legal structures required in operating them.

In March, Dubai-based developer Meraas awarded the Netherlands'’ 2getthere a contract for 25 driverless group rapid transit (GRT) to be used at the Bluewaters Island development.

The autonomous vehicles, each of which could carry 24 passengers, will link the waterfront development with the Nakheel Harbour and Tower Metro station, which are estimated to be 2.5 kilometres apart. The journey is expected to take 4.5 minutes.