Huawei, CASCO and Dubai: A transport tech alliance

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed two memoranda of understanding with Chinese technology giants Huawei and CASCO SIGNAL LTD during an official delegation visit to China led by RTA Director-General Mattar Al Tayer.

The agreement with CASCO, a specialist in metro and rail signalling, communications and control systems, provides for the establishment of an advanced R&D centre and innovation laboratory in Dubai, linked to the Dubai Metro Blue Line project. The centre will enable technical testing under simulated operating conditions, support AI-driven operational scheduling and facilitate knowledge transfer in rail technology.

The MoU with Huawei covers cooperation across artificial intelligence, information security, smart mobility, traffic management and the development of unified data platforms, all in support of Dubai's ambitious 20-Minute City vision.

During the visit, the delegation toured Shanghai's integrated transport command centre — managing mobility for a city of 24 million, rode the Shanghai Maglev, one of the world's fastest commercial train services, and reviewed China's 15-minute city urban planning model.

"China represents a leading global model in transport infrastructure, digital technologies and artificial intelligence," said Al Tayer. 

"Through this visit, RTA seeks to gain first-hand insight into these experiences and adopt global best practices that support Dubai's transport development."