Riyadh Municipality Integrates Robots, Smart Technologies into Stormwater Drainage Network Maintenance

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Riyadh Municipality Integrates Robots, Smart Technologies into Stormwater Drainage Network Maintenance

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Riyadh Municipality has announced the introduction of specialized robots and smart technologies into its regular operations for inspecting stormwater drainage networks and their components for proactive maintenance.

The robots can navigate through water and various surfaces, measure and analyze the networks, contributing to swift and effective decision-making.

The robots operate by capturing three-dimensional, 360-degree images of the networks and converting the results into data through artificial intelligence (AI). This maximizes the use of technology to expedite the municipality's tasks, ensure the readiness of stormwater drainage networks, and develop proactive maintenance plans.

The Riyadh Municipality continues to oversee regular, preventive, and scheduled maintenance of all components of the stormwater drainage networks in Riyadh. This aims to ensure the safety and readiness of the networks’ components and addresses network malfunctions and surrounding issues using modern technologies that help identify and resolve problems.

These efforts are part of the municipality's ongoing commitment to providing quality services to residents and maintaining public safety, aligning with its strategy to promote digital transformation and support urban growth.



US Auto Safety Agency Reviewing Tesla Answers on Robotaxi Deployment Plans

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
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US Auto Safety Agency Reviewing Tesla Answers on Robotaxi Deployment Plans

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

US highway safety regulators are reviewing answers Tesla gave in response to the agency's questions about the safety of its self-driving robotaxi in poor weather, the agency said on Friday, ahead of plans to deploy the vehicles as soon as this weekend.

Tesla has sent invitations to a small group of people to join in a limited test of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, which is tentatively set to start on Sunday, according to posts and email screenshots on social media.

In a letter last month, NHTSA asked Tesla to answer detailed questions by June 19 on its plans to launch paid robotaxi service in Austin, to assess how the electric vehicle maker's cars with full self-driving technology will perform in poor weather, Reuters said.

The agency said it has received Tesla's response "and is in the process of reviewing it. Once our review has been completed the public file will be updated."

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The invitations said a Tesla employee will accompany riders in the front passenger seat, the posts showed. NHTSA asked Tesla if vehicles "will be supervised or otherwise monitored by Tesla in real time."

NHTSA has been investigating Tesla full self-driving collisions in reduced roadway visibility conditions since October. The probe covers 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with full self-driving technology after four reported collisions, including a 2023 fatal crash.

The agency said in May it was seeking additional information about Tesla's development of robotaxis "to assess the ability of Tesla's system to react appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions" as well details on robotaxi deployment plans and the technology being used.

NHTSA said in May it wants to know how many vehicles will be used as robotaxis and the expected timetable for availability of robotaxi technology for vehicles controlled by people other than Tesla.

NHTSA's letter asked Tesla to describe how it intends to ensure the safety of robotaxi operations in reduced roadway visibility conditions such as sun glare, fog, airborne dust, rain, or snow. It also wants to know what happens if poor visibility is encountered during a ride.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he will focus on safety in the trial, with humans remotely monitoring the vehicles.