Abu Dhabi-based Masdar is seeking developers for the next phase of its driverless personal rapid transit (PRT) system.

Formal entry and evaluation criteria for the competition will be announced by the end of February, the company said in a statement.

Masdar said the selected solution must be “driverless, autonomous and emissions free.”

Another important criteria is the prospective solution’s ability to operate outdoors in the arid, desert climate of the Gulf along with compliance with Abu Dhabi safety regulations and the ability to integrate with Masdar City’s pedestrian areas and with other types of vehicle transport.

The project will cover a 1-kilometre route linking Masdar Institute, the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the recently announced My City Centre Masdar retail development, the company said.

“By introducing today’s commercially viable sustainable transportation solutions, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, into Masdar City, we can demonstrate their capabilities and play an important role in driving their widespread adoption,” Yousef Baselaib, Executive Director of Masdar’s Sustainable Real Estate division, said.

Masdar’s pilot PRT has carried more than 2 million passengers since 2010. It also generated an immense volume of data to guide the future development of driverless vehicle solutions, both within the city and in other urban settings, according to Baselaib.