Sharjah Holding PJSC, a strategic partnership between Majid Al Futtaim Properties and Sharjah Asset Management, has announced a collaboration between the Al Zahia community and the Ministry of Health and Prevention to deploy autonomous vehicles in the community to support residents amid the coronavirus pandemic. Al Zahia deployed the first driverless car in the UAE.
Since its recent launch, the vehicles, known as AI Mobility Service Cars, have been traversing the community offering free sanitising products including face masks, gloves, and hand sanitiser to help preserve the health and safety of residents across Al Zahia.
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Residents are able to enjoy the vehicle’s catchy song and slogan as the car navigates the community on a pre-programmed route. To access products, community members can stop the car simply by waving their hand as though hailing a taxi. The products will then be dispensed free of charge before the car continues on its route.
Powered by technology companies Huawei and Neolix, the car incorporates an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘brain’ to travel the neighbourhood safely. In addition to being familiar with the Al Zahia community through HD mapping, the vehicle also intelligently analyses its surroundings using a combination of cameras and sensors to detect people, animals, and other cars within range. A digital screen also features on the vehicle’s front to share messages with the community.
Shadi Al Azzeh at Majid Al Futtaim – Al Zahia Projects Head, said, “We’re honoured to have been chosen by the Ministry of Health and Prevention as the first residential community to roll out this initiative. From the very beginning, we’ve served our residents by being human-centric in everything we do, and the arrival of this autonomous, contact-less vehicle to the streets of Al Zahia is the perfect example of our thinking in action. We’re supporting our residents even when we’re encouraged to be apart through a very creative application of the latest technology available.”
The car measures 2.4 metres cubed and has a 500-kilogram load capacity, comparable to that of a minivan. With over 160 items stored in the vehicle, which are restocked frequently by Al Zahia’s community management team, residents can enjoy peace of mind that they’re well equipped to protect themselves and their families.
Al Zahia – owned by Sharjah Holding and managed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties is a milestone development that will help diversify the real estate sector of the Emirate of Sharjah. Al Zahia is on par with the high-quality, international building standards for which its developer, Majid Al Futtaim Properties is known. Sharjah Holding’s current focus is on the development and management of retail and mixed-use projects in the Emirate of Sharjah. These include Matajer, a neighbourhood shopping centre concept, and Al Zahia, Sharjah’s premier lifestyle destination.
Majid Al Futtaim established in 1992 is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.Sharjah’s premier lifestyle destination rooted in the emirate’s values of family, community and culture. Majid Al Futtaim started from one man’s vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure to ‘create great moments for everyone, every day’. It has since grown into one of the United Arab Emirates’ most respected and successful businesses spanning 16 international markets, employing more than 44,000 people, and obtaining the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the region.
Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 27 shopping malls, 13 hotels and four mixed-use communities comprising Mall of the Emirates,
Mall of Egypt, City Centre malls, My City Centre neighbourhood centres, and four community malls which are in a joint venture with the Government of Sharjah.
The Company is the exclusive franchisee for Carrefour in a number of markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, operating a portfolio of more than 300 outlets. Majid Al Futtaim operates more than 500 VOX Cinemas screens and 37 Magic Planet family entertainment centres across the region, in addition to iconic leisure and entertainment facilities such as Ski Dubai, iFly Dubai and Ski Egypt, among others. The Company is a parent to the consumer finance company Najm and a Fashion and Home retail business representing international brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, AllSaints, lululemon Athletica, Crate Barrel and Maisons du Monde. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim operates Enova, a facility and energy management company, through a joint venture operation with Veolia, a global leader in optimised environment resource management. The Company also owns the rights to The LEGO Store and American Girl in the Middle East.