Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has inaugurated a new Transport Data Analysis Laboratory within its Enterprise Command and Control Centre (EC3), boosting the city’s capability to observe traffic patterns, forecast congested areas and address transport issues ahead of time.
The facility will gather, track and assess extensive transport data, generating expert analyses and reports to assist strategic and operational decision-making. According to RTA, this initiative will improve readiness for transport planning, big events and emergency responses, while strengthening Dubai’s role as a smart city and a worldwide pioneer in sustainable mobility.
The laboratory is key to enhancing EC3’s role as a unified strategic platform connecting the RTA’s multiple control hubs. By consolidating operational monitoring into one system, it uses artificial intelligence and predictive modelling to examine traffic scenarios, offer forward‑looking solutions and shorten response times during high‑demand periods and major events.
Mohammed Al Ali, Director of the Enterprise Command and Control Centre, described the laboratory as a significant evolution in the RTA’s analytical operations. He explained that it tightens the integration of monitoring systems with artificial intelligence and transforms vast operational datasets into predictive signals that help support quicker and more precise decisions.
Al Ali added that these predictive indicators help improve traffic fluidity, boost operational efficiency and strengthen the sustainability of Dubai’s transport network, aligning with the RTA’s vision for safe, seamless and sustainable mobility.
The Transport Data Analysis Laboratory pulls real‑time information from over 35 sources spanning many transport types — from buses, metro, tram and marine modes to taxis, limousines, soft mobility and private cars. It also automates upwards of 150 operational performance metrics, enhancing coordination, planning accuracy and transport policy evaluation.
According to the RTA, the laboratory has already supported traffic movement analysis during major occasions such as GITEX 2025, helping pinpoint bottlenecks and back measures to improve traffic flow near event sites. The findings will guide planning for future large events and peak travel periods.
The centre has also helped identify spots with a greater risk of repeated traffic accidents, allowing targeted corrective actions with relevant authorities. The RTA said this data‑driven strategy will boost road safety and help maintain smoother traffic across Dubai’s road network.
