Dubais RTA plans to enable facial recognition technology as a form of payment for public transportation fares

To utilise public transit in Dubai, travelers need not carry cash, a ticket, a nol card, or a card anymore. Facial recognition technology will be made available by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to be used for paying for public transit tickets. RTA unveiled several new services at the present GITEX Global 2023, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre. These services were developed with metaverse and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The five internet services to be launched by RTA are:

Use face recognition to pay for public transport charges in Dubai:

The RTA reports that passengers will soon be able to pay for transit through facial recognition technology on buses, taxis, Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram and marine vessels.

It will not be necessary for commuters to utilise cash, credit cards, nol cards, or tickets. The Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, buses, and taxis will all have smart gates installed. These gates will work by registering users, identifying faces using cameras, and analysing those faces in three dimensions.

The money will be taken out of the account as soon as the user's bio data matches the biodata. The precise date of the new service's implementation has not yet been disclosed.

Phone can be used to access your digital Nol card:

Through the "nol Pay" app, RTA will be launching digital nol cards for Samsung phones. The "nol Pay" app for Huawei phones was the only app that worked with the virtual nol card in the past.

The official app for managing your nol card from RTA is called "nol Pay," and it can be downloaded on Apple, Android, and Huawei smartphones. The following services are accessible on the app:

• Check nol card details with ease
• Nol card top up
• Check out the closest merchant location that takes your nol card for payment; • Gain access to your "nol Plus" loyalty programme. The nol card is not limited to paying for public transit; it may be used for a variety of services.
• Review and redeem your nol points as a top-up or discount shopping vouchers. 
• Control every card that is associated with your account (blocking, reporting missing, or cancelling a card that is already active).

Look up parking beforehand on the internet:

Using the "Dubai Drive" app, you may find open parking spots close to your destination before you leave. Although the RTA app now offers the "Search for Parking" online service, the service will soon be expanded to include the following features:

• Green parking for electric cars
• Parking for People with Determination
• Parking spots on multi-storey
• Car wash services

Use the internet to transfer plate number ownership:

During GITEX Global, RTA is also launching a new service that allows car number plate ownership to be transferred through the "Dubai Drive" app.

Customers no longer need to visit any of RTA's service facilities since they may use their UAE Pass app to finish the selling processes.

The services enable the consumer to safely complete the sales procedures, sign the sales contract using an e-signature, and finish the transaction using a smart smartphone.

A dedicated taxi service in Dubai for school-age children:

Parents may reserve special taxis online in advance for school runs in Dubai through the Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) "In Safe Hands" service, provided by the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC).

The DTC app, which is accessible on the app stores for Apple, Android, and Huawei, allows you to make taxi reservations. Additionally, parents can assign a guardian to ride the DTC cab with their kids to school.

Parents can use the following services on the app:

• Use the DTC app to schedule daily, weekly, or monthly excursions to get your kids to and from school.
• Guardians of children under the age of 13 must use the app to give their Emirates ID data, and the driver must validate the information.
• The "Dubai Taxi" wallet or a credit or debit card can be used to pay the service costs online.

Currently, the "Dubai Drive" app may be used to complete the car sale procedure online. To finish the procedure, you must still go to a service centre and give the number plate to RTA.